The Miami Marlins (52-45) entered the MLB All-Star break seven games over .500 and firmly in third place in the NL East division, but they are challenged with the fifth-hardest remaining strength of schedule.
MarlinsRoundtable highlighted Miami’s road-heavy second 81 games. Adding the fifth-hardest remaining schedule to the mix makes the club’s playoff run much more difficult.
Advertisement
Before a 10-game, three-state road trip, the Marlins had a 14-22 road record. They were tied with the Colorado Rockies for the second-worst away record in MLB, but have propelled themselves to a 21-25 record after going 7-3 on their three-state trip.
While the club has managed to calm its road woes before the All-Star break, a gauntlet awaits, starting this Friday. Miami faces the second-best team in MLB, the Milwaukee Brewers (59-37), at American Family Field.
The Marlins will have 11 series against teams over .500, including Friday’s opener against the Brewers. They face teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers (61-36), Chicago Cubs (54-42) and Atlanta Braves (55-40).
It sounds scary, but the team has done a solid job competing against the top teams. They have a 28-19 record against teams with a .500 record or better. That record has played a significant role in their playoff push, especially paired with a historic June.
Advertisement
Miami went 20-6 in June, including series wins over teams like the Tampa Bay Rays, Arizona Diamondbacks, Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies. A scorching offense and solid defense made the Marlins a formidable team to defeat.
Shortstop Otto Lopez is having a breakout season, and Miami’s pitching rotation is dominant. Lopez is leading the MLB in batting average (.334) and helped Miami outscore opponents 129-78.
Star pitcher Sandy Alcantara made franchise history in June, as he became the all-time strikeouts leader with over 1,000 and had six-straight victories in the month. Miami’s veteran right-handed pitcher passed Ryan Nolasco and is tied for fifth in win-loss record with eight wins and five losses.
Max Meyer, who had a flawless June, made his first All-Star appearance on Tuesday. Meyer has a team-best 2.58 ERA (eighth in MLB) and 116 strikeouts.
Advertisement
As the Marlins return from the All-Star break to face the Brewers, it’s imperative that the team remains afloat amid the difficult schedule. A historic June has put them in position to make the playoffs for the first time since 2023, but it can all come crashing down against powerful opponent after powerful opponent.
Having the fifth-hardest remaining strength of schedule makes their playoff push more difficult, but not impossible.
Join our ROUNDTABLE community! It’s free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members.
Download the free Roundtable APP, (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/roundtable-rtb/id6450423049) and stay even more connected!
Source link
