Will Miami Marlins Acquire Third Baseman Before the Trade Deadline?

The Fish have a solid lineup of quality bats that could use some hitting help from the hot corner.

Miami Marlins manager Clayton McCullough | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There's not much more you could have done to make this a better season in South Florida. As the temperature rises and the ocean air gets thicker, the Miami Marlins remain hotter than the weather down on South Beach. That's led to them being a favorite to capture a wild card spot and legitimate contenders in the highly competitive National League East Division.

Earlier in the year, many experts reasoned that the Marlins, in the long run, would sell off players like longtime starter Sandy Alcantara near the trade deadline. The reasoning being: They should have a nice run in another rebuild, but they will be out of it by August. Then, they will be easy pickings.

Griffin picking up right where he left off 😤 pic.twitter.com/99qt9L8dYC

— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) July 18, 2026

But a funny thing happened on the way to the fire sale. This team turned out to be better than expected. Now sitting at 52-47, they hold the final wild card spot in the National League East. And they won't be entering these final two weeks of July as the hunted. Instead, they will be the hunters as the MLB Trade Deadline nears. They have momentum, along with a reinvigorated fan base. There's no turning back now for this 2026 team.

Fish Should Seek A Third Sacker

The lineup has been solid all season, but there's been a bit of a gap in the order when it comes to third base. There's essentially been a revolving door at the hot corner, with the Marlins using a four-man rotation at the position for most of the year. Javier Sanoja, who is hitting .273, has made 45 starts at third, and the rest of the time has been split between Graham Pauley, Leo Jiménez, and Connor Norby.

Sanoja has made an admirable effort to hold down the defensive spot, but at 5-9 and 150 pounds, he isn't the projected power threat at the position you would envision. Miami needs to go fishing for a right-handed power bat to fill that slot.

Right now, one of the better candidates would be the San Francisco Giants' Matt Chapman. Unfortunately, he is under contract through 2030, so they may choose to keep him. And if not? The Marlins will likely have to give up plenty to bring the proven veteran on board, plus take on his $20 million-plus per year.

Oddly enough, the team that everyone expected to be sell off parts will now ba able to do a pillaging, if they choose to pursue another hitter. And while Chapman would be a great fit, Miami can afford to shop around. Because, that's what buyers do. And make no mistake... the Marlins are checking for bargain deals and big ticket dreams.