By Donald Laible
What has gotten into the Miami Marlins?
With seven weeks to go in the 2025 MLB season, as hard as it is to believe for some, the Marlins remain in postseason contention.
Yep. You read correctly. Just two games below .500, at 56–58, the Marlins rest in fourth place in the National League East. As the Marlins prepare for Friday evening’s game with the Atlanta Braves on the road, they have won 10 of their last 15 games and sit just 6.5 games out of the last NL Wild Card position. The Marlins last made it to the postseason in 2023, losing to Philadelphia in the Wild Card round.
The Marlins are MLB’s “Little Engine That Could.” First-year manager Clayton McCullough has his players believing that anything is possible, from now to their season’s final series with the New York Mets in late September. Thus far, playing on the road and being in hostile environments hasn’t affected Miami. The Marlins are 28–27 in opposing ballparks and at 28–31 in their 13-year home of LoanDepot Park.
“The Marlins are energy,” said Steve Phillips, co-host of MLB Network Radio’s program The Leadoff Spot, on Friday morning.
Greg Amsinger, a studio host at MLB Network, recently stated on a social media account that McCullough is turning in the fourth-best managerial performance of all 30 managers. This further adds to the amazing work by the Marlins’ entire 26-man roster. The Yankees’ Aaron Boone, Los Angeles Dodgers’ Dave Roberts, Craig Counsell of the Chicago Cubs, and Alex Cora of the Boston Red Sox all manage clubs with far larger payrolls than what Marlins’ majority owner Bruce Sherman could spend, yet in some circles McCullough is seen as more successful.
The Dodgers and New York Mets are MLB leaders when it comes to total payroll in 2025, with both spending more than $300 million. Then, in last place out of all 30 clubs, the Marlins are at $66 million. Miami management is getting more of a return for their payroll money than the richer teams.
Most MLB fans aren’t familiar with the South Florida team, whose average age is just above 26.
Kyle Stowers is front and center leading the offense. Playing in 109 games this season, the all-star center fielder has thus far belted 25 home runs and 71 RBIs, and is hitting a very respectable .293. With only 117 games’ experience as a Baltimore Oriole from 2022 to 2024, Stowers has already displayed leadership qualities at his new baseball home. The Marlins’ collective effort, taking a “next man up” approach, also includes infielder Xavier Edwards. The second baseman is hitting .299. Shortstop Otto Lopez, cruising at .245, has also been a demon on the basepaths for opposing catchers with 11 stolen bases.
The overall success comes back to McCullough’s guidance.
Miami has demonstrated a pattern of hiring young but highly respected coaches looking for their first opportunity at an MLB managerial role. In 2023, Skip Schumaker put together a plan that saw his club finish 84–78. Miami lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in a two-game sweep in the NL Wild Card Series. In 2024, the Marlins finished 62–100, and Schumaker, who won National League Manager of the Year just a year earlier, parted ways with the club. Schumaker is currently in a senior advisor position with the Texas Rangers.
Although McCullough’s managing gig with the Marlins is his first on the MLB level, he was hired in November partly due to his association with the Dodgers. Serving as Los Angeles’s first base coach for four years (2021–2024), McCullough earned a World Series championship ring last season. Coming from a club with a deep winning tradition has no doubt benefited McCullough as he goes about his business in 2025.
Twenty-six pitchers have thrown in games so far this season for the Marlins. It’s been success by committee. Sandy Alcantara, Miami’s ace, leads the starting staff. Returning this season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, Alcantara has been coming on strong in recent weeks. Eury Perez and Edward Cabrera are also accounting for timely wins, as Miami aims to push its record above .500.
With upcoming series against Toronto, Boston, and St. Louis, the Marlins will show just how much they believe in their ability to contend in the NL East and climb past the struggling New York Mets, who are currently sitting in the last Wild Card slot. Stranger things have happened in baseball, especially where the postseason is concerned, but in 2025, the Marlins are playing well above their “pay grade.” Don’t count them out just yet.
