Marlins outline 3 paths to a 2027 postseason push

The Miami Marlins are aiming to close the gap to October in 2027 after finishing 80-82 and eight games behind the final National League Wild Card spot. In remarks after the season, president of baseball operations Peter Bendix said the club is proud of progress it showed on the field and “off the field,” but also “angry” and “disappointed” that it did not reach the postseason.

Bendix’s message framed the next step as moving from improvement to consistency, describing the “final goal” as getting over the next hump to make the playoffs, win the division, and “repeat that every year.” With that in mind, Miami’s plan for 2027 starts with defense, because the organization views run prevention as a way to offset the reality of scoring fewer runs over time.

One defensive emphasis is tightening play “up the middle.” The Marlins ranked 14th in fielding run value (nine) in 2026, and Bendix’s organization highlighted that most of the teams ranked ahead of them reached the postseason. Miami also tied for 13th with Cleveland in Outs Above Average (10), and it pointed to strong individual production at shortstop and center field, with Otto Lopez posting 14 OAA and Jakob Marsee recording nine OAA.

Miami also identified specific positions where it believes improvement is most available. The club cited shortcomings at first base (-5 OAA) and right field (-8 OAA), noting that a group of seven players combined for those right-field marks. The Marlins plan to build on experience there, pointing to players including Kyle Stowers and Griffin Conine, while also acknowledging that Owen Caissie showed “marginal gains” as a rookie.

The second priority is reducing baserunning mistakes that end rallies. Miami tied for the fifth-most baserunning runs in 2026 with seven, but the organization singled out pickoffs and outs as a particular problem, citing an MLB-high 20 pickoffs and 66 outs on the bases.

The third focus is approach at the plate, using teams Miami says have succeeded by working counts and pressuring opponents. The Marlins pointed to the Brewers’ October run in the NL Championship Series as a model for forcing higher pitch counts and pushing starters deeper, even when power was not the primary driver.

Miami contrasted those ideas with its own 2026 profile, noting that it hit 168 homers but finished tied for 16th in slugging percentage (.400). The club also highlighted on-base outcomes from its own roster, including Griffin Conine’s.353 OBP and 19 homers in 94 games, as evidence of why it believes the best version of its approach could come from specific personnel fitting a broader strategy.

Taken together, Miami’s 2027 “pages to take” are not a single fix, but a checklist. The organization’s target is simpler play that limits preventable outs and prevents extra damage defensively, paired with an offensive plan designed to raise pitch counts and get on base more consistently, with the goal of converting improvement into an actual postseason berth.