You have to give a hand to the Miami Marlins.
Last year, it took the franchise 108 games to win their 40th game. This season, Miami has won their 40th game in 87 ballgames, a 21-game improvement.
The organization has largely fallen into the void of irrelevance in Major League Baseball over the past decade. A playoff appearance in 2023 felt like the club was finally starting to put a competitive foot forward.
An ugly 2024 seemingly pushed the Marlins back into the abyss, but their recent push this season has the club chasing the .500 mark once again. Miami is likely not going to buy at the July 31 trade deadline, but the young talent in Miami should keep them competitive into the fall. It has been a new hero every night for the South Florida club, and the team continues to find new ways to win.
2024 Trade Deadline
To understand the recent success for the Marlins, you have to go back to last season’s trade deadline.
The club decided to move on from infielder/outfielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. and left-handed starter Trevor Rogers. These two deals help land them players who have become rising stars.
Chisholm was dealt to the New York Yankees on July 27th. Chisholm netted Miami C Agustín Ramírez, INF Jared Serna, and INF Abrahan Ramírez.
Agustín was the Yankees’ third-rated prospect at the time of the trade, and he has soared since joining the Marlins. In 2025, Ramírez is currently slashing .244 with a .759 OPS on the year. His 13 home runs are second on the Marlins, and he has been able to provide an offensive boost to the club.
The Rogers trade netted two starting-caliber players in Connor Norby and Kyle Stowers. At the time of the trade, Norby was the fifth-ranked prospect in the Baltimore Orioles organization. While he was the main piece in the deal, Norby has been just okay in his tenure with the Marlins. The other member of the trade, Stowers, has stolen the show.
With 16 home runs on the season, the young outfielder is hitting .283 with an .874 OPS in 2025. Stowers is the best hitter in the Miami batting order and has given first-year manager Clayton McCullough a piece to build a lineup around.
A Look Ahead
The Marlins have the potential to find gold in the trade market once again. Former Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara is more than likely going to be dealt this season to a contending club.
Alcantara is coming off Tommy John surgery and has struggled in his return to professional baseball. His 7.01 earned run average is very unlike the typical statistics we have come to expect from the right-hander. He is working to find himself again on the mound, and I do expect a fresh start might be able to jumpstart that process.
Starting pitcher Cal Quantrill and relievers Anthony Bender and Braxton Garrett will also likely be moved at the trade deadline. While these players won’t command dynamic packages, it only takes one or two players to hit to make the deals worth it.
Currently in third place in the National League East, the Marlins can build upon this season and look to add in this upcoming winter. The potential to remove Alcantara’s contract and a buyout on Avisail Garcia can net roughly 23 million dollars.
Miami will determine how successful they can be from this moment forward. Rewriting the narrative around the team is possible if all stakeholders make the effort.
Matt Watson Media 
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