The Miami Marlins have quietly been one of MLB’s most improved teams this season, and now they’re postseason-bound.
The Marlins clinched an NL wild-card spot with a 7-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday, which improved their record to 84-76 a year after they finished fourth in the NL East at 69-93. They will finish the season with either the second or third wild-card, with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Cincinnati Reds still in pursuit.
The curious part is the Marlins have a leg up on those teams thanks to their rain-suspended game against the New York Mets still looming. If the Marlins still need a win for playoff positioning after Sunday, MLB reportedly intends them to finish their game from Thursday, in which the Marlins are up 2-1 with two men on in the top of the ninth inning.
So the Marlins and Mets could return to New York to play one inning of baseball on Monday, after which the Marlins would head for their first playoff game on Tuesday. The Marlins will face either the NL Central champion Milwaukee Brewers or the top wild-card Philadelphia Phillies in the wild-card round.
Wherever they end up, they will be making their second trip to the playoffs since their second World Series title in 2003, having previously made it in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. They are in the first season under manager Skip Schumaker.
The Marlins’ win on Saturday saw Jazz Chisholm Jr. knock in the first two runs, then more scores in the sixth, seventh and ninth inning. First baseman Josh Bell provided some huge insurance runs with a seventh-inning double.
Unfortunately for the Marlins, they will be one of many teams in the playoffs this season missing a key pitcher or two. In Miami’s case, they will be without reigning Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara, who is done for the season with a forearm injury.
