One team who may be not in the shuffle, but still having a solid 2023 MLB season is the Miami Marlins. They are in a tough division, however.
With plenty of talent in the National League, the Marlins could be a team to easily overlook, but are still a steady team with solid production.
However, they are in a rather difficult division. With two other teams who are also holding their own, Miami may be behind the 8-ball a little bit.
While their production may not be elite, it’s not at the bottom of the NL barrel, either.
For more coverage on the Back Sports Page MLB mid-season recaps, check out our most recent piece on the Arizona Diamondbacks.
But how are the Miami Marlins at this point? And do they have what it takes to make a final key push for the playoffs? Let’s take a deeper look…
Miami Marlins Mid-Season Recap
Offense: Numbers Are All Over The Place
Overall, the offense has been up and down for Miami. While they lead the NL in hits (972) and are second in batting average (.265), the power numbers just simply aren’t there. It may seem rather puzzling, but the Marlins are taking a slightly different approach to hitting.
Arraez Leads the Charge
One of the main reasons why is their off-season acquisition prize in second baseman Luis Arraez. The 26-year-old is chasing a historic number, a .400 average. So far, Arraez is posting career-highs in batting average (.381), on-base percentage (.429), slugging percentage (.477), RBIs (51), and OPS (.906). He more is known to hit for contact, but does have some decent gap power, cracking 25 doubles and a pair of triples already in 2023. Arraez is also someone who does not strikeout a lot. In fact, he only has 24 strikeouts in 435 total plate appearances this season. That’s a strikeout rate of only 5.5%, which is one of the better numbers in today’s MLB.
These numbers also are a part as to why Arraez could be a perennial All-Star in the middle infield.
Soler Brings the Power Ball
Going back to the earlier notes on the lack of power, Miami ranks fourth-worst in the NL in doubles (172), second-to-last in home runs (96), 11th in slugging percentage (.399), and 10th in OPS (.719).
However, one guy who is leading the charge for power is the big bat of DH Jorge Soler. Now in his tenth season in the Majors (second with the Marlins), Soler is becoming a dependable guy for a big bopper. He already is performing better than he did in 2022. Through 103 games this season, Soler is posting a respectable .243/.333/.491/.824 slash line, while leading the Fish with 25 home runs and placing second on the team with 56 RBIs.
Overall, the Marlins have scored the second-fewest runs in the NL with 439. But they’re still in the thick of the NL playoff hunt.
Marlins Pitching Is Holding Their Own
Looking at this year’s Marlins staff, they are doing a fine job of keeping themselves in games.
Similarly, their statistics show them more toward the middle of the Senior Circuit pack. They are in the top half for ERA (7th, 4.09), home runs allowed (7th, 117), walks allowed (5th, 330), total runs allowed (4th, 464), and dead central for hits given up (8th, 885).
Difficult Year For Cy Young Winner
Last year’s Cy Young Winner, Sandy Alcantara, is having a rather difficult year in 2023. Through 22 starts, the 27-year-old right-hander only has a 4-9 record to his name with a 4.21 ERA in 143.1 innings. Something seems off about Alcantara, but the question is what.
However, the Marlins have someone who is stepping up for Alcantara’s mistakes. And that would be 25-year-old lefty Braxton Garrett. Now in his fourth season, he is turning into a steady anchor of the Marlins’ rotation. Through 20 starts, Garrett has personal-bests in innings pitched (106), strikeouts (117), WHIP (1.179), and strikeout-to-walk ratio (6.88).
He also sports a 5-3 record and a respectable 4.08 ERA.
The 1.179 WHIP is a signal that he is a pitcher who does a good job of limiting traffic on the bases.
Defense Stats
Unfortunately for the Fish, their defense is one of the worst units in the Senior Circuit. They hold the second-most errors in the NL with 64, and they have the fifth-worst fielding percentage at .984.
Miami Marlins Schedule: Best/Statement Win/Worst Loss
Looking back on the Marlins current schedule there is one major win that sticks out. That win came back on June 3. That day, the Fish beat up on the Oakland A’s 12 to 1. Meanwhile, on the other side of the coin, an early-season loss is the one that is the worst. On April 24, the Marlins absorbed an 11-0 road shutout loss at the hands of the Atlanta Braves.
Final Thoughts on Miami Marlins Mid-Season Recap
Overall, the Miami Marlins are kind of in a rut. They might not have a true identity for the season. But, after a flurry of moves at the trade deadline, including acquiring Josh Bell, they may be going all in. Only question will be, is it too little, too late in Miami? Time will tell.
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Nate Powalie is a contributor for Back Sports Page. A 2022 graduate of Ashland University (Ashland, Ohio), Nate has five years of sports writing experience, and has gotten the chance to call sporting events for radio and live stream. Nate can be found on Twitter (@PNate22) and Facebook (Nate Powalie).
