Joy.
That is the feeling you get when watching the Miami Marlins play baseball.
After a 5-1 start, the Marlins are positioning themselves to play competitive baseball in 2026. Is this just a hot start, or is this club a legitimate contender in the National League East?
The return of an ace
Last season, there was almost a guarantee that the Miami Marlins were going to trade Sandy Alcantara.
The former NL Cy Young award winner was returning from Tommy John surgery and looked like a lesser version of himself.
Banking on him as a player, Miami held on, rather than taking a lesser deal at the Trade Deadline.
Just two starts into 2026, Alcantara looks to be a nightmare for opposing hitters once more.
In just two outings, the right-hander has thrown 16 innings, including a 9-inning complete game shutout in his start against the White Sox. He has tallied 12 strikeouts and just seven hits in his starts.
Spirit of competition
While Miami is 5-1, they have not exactly played the 1927 Yankees.
The Marlins have taken down the Colorado Rockies (sweep) and the Chicago White Sox, the two worst teams from 2025.
However, you cannot pick your opponents, and the Marlins have taken care of business as any good team should.
Next up, the 2026 New York Yankees.
Both teams have gotten off to 5-1 starts. The Marlins will travel to the Bronx for this upcoming series with an opportunity to prove they can hang with the big boys.
While they will not have their ace for the series, Eury Perez and Max Meyer will get a chance to start against New York.
They will face former Marlin Ryan Weathers, whom they traded to New York this offseason.
Upcoming schedule
If the Marlins are going to be a playoff contender, they must finish April with a record above .500.
After the Yankees, the Marlins will face off against top teams such as the Detroit Tigers, Milwaukee Brewers, and Los Angeles Dodgers.
How they fare against these teams, as well as New York, will paint the picture of how 2026 will shake out.
If they get through this gauntlet of teams early in their season, then maybe, just maybe, the Marlins will find themselves towards the top of the National League this season.
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