Sports Illustrated - USA (2020 - Spring)

67

WE PICK ON the Mariners a lot, as the

team with the longest playoff drought,

dating back to 2001. The Marlins get less

attention for being second on that list,

having missed the postseason every year

since their ’03 title.

Two years after jettisoning two MVP

outfielders (Giancarlo Stanton and Christian

Yelich) the Marlins don’t seem any closer to

making the playoffs or even to generating

excitement. They lost 105 games in ’19,

finishing last in the NL in runs and last in

the majors in homers. They also finished

last in attendance, drawing 811,302.

Are there reasons for fans to return in

’20? Not many, though the team has tried

to get better, trading for Jonathan Villar to

play third base, picking up first baseman

Jesús Aguilar, signing Corey Dickerson to

patrol leftfield and adding Brandon Kintzler

to collect saves. These moves might keep

Miami from another 100-loss season but

they pale in comparison with what the rest

of the division has done.

Things look rosier on the mound,

where the Marlins could go the whole

year without starting a single pitcher who

has reached 30. Their young arms, led by

All-Star righthander Sandy Alcantara,

are largely low-ceiling, No. 4 starter–types,

but top prospect Sixto Sanchez will arrive

shortly to bring some sizzle to the group.

The Marlins simply haven’t drafted

wisely or scouted well internationally.

Five of their top seven prospects, per

Baseball America, were acquired via trade.

The last Miami first-round pick to play a

game for the team was the late pitcher

José Fernández, drafted in 2011.

Until the Marlins develop MLB-caliber

players or spend the money to acquire

them, they’ll continue to be forgotten.

MLB’s woebegone franchise brought in a few veteran bats and has a young rotation

with some promise, but it will continue to reside far from contention.

OVER

UNDER 64.5

MOVING UP

CALEB

SMITH

4.52 ERA | 1.8 WAR

The lefty

starter struck

out 26.0% of

the batters he

faced, though

too many of

the others

went deep:

Smith gave up

an NL-leading

33 home runs.

MOVING DOWN

LEWIS

BRINSON

24 OPS+ | -2.2 WAR

Once a top

prospect, the

25-year-old

centerfielder

has hit

.183 in 709

career plate

appearances.

It’s time for

the team to

move on.

| DEREK JETER | SS | The shortstop many called the Michael

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retroactively get a unanimous Cooperstown induction?

2030 PREDICTION

MARLINS

RICH SCHULTZ/GETTY IMAGES

Two years after jettisoning

two MVP outfielders,

the Marlins don’t seem any closer

to making the playoffs.