Marlins Continue to Arráez, On Pace for 90-wins

There’s something in the air in Miami. The Marlins’ record improved to 10 games over .500 for the first time since 2011 before their last loss, as the Major League’s team from South Beach has been surprising fans all season long.

So, why is this team adding to the growing list of underdogs in South Beach?

Maybe it has something to do with the weather, but let’s look at quantifiable factors first before jumping to any conclusions like the UV index.

Skip Schumaker is making an impact on his young @Marlins club.

Sitting in second place in the NL East at 42-32, the skipper talks about his team's keys to success!#MLBCentral | @RoFlo | @markdero7 pic.twitter.com/NvIu99lCwj

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) June 21, 2023

Miami Magic?

This Miami team’s special season thus far has been highlighted by Jesus Sanchez’s robbery of a game-tying grand slam against the Seattle Mariners on the 15th.

But, even as impressive as this feat was, some still may not have yet been convinced of this team’s potential.

At the end of the day, how likely is it really for this many franchises in one city to have the same exact role in each of their respective leagues?

As unimpressive as the Marlins may seem on the surface, performances from players like Luis Arraez earning his third 5 hit game in a season gives some insight to the sneaky talent that exists on this team.

The offense coming from Arraez this season has been interesting in that he is not necessarily a power hitter, but more of a reliable base securing machine. Players like Arraez add to the come-behind, underdog vibe that this team has in their dugout this season.

Traits such as these make room for other power hitters like Jorge Soler on the Marlins’ roster to bolster these trends.

Jorge Soler rips his 21st homer of the year! Marlins with an early lead pic.twitter.com/ulnWBQuY2n

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) June 19, 2023

Soler Eclipse

Jorge Soler has been among the biggest reasons for the success of this Miami team this season.

Soler is among the upper echelon of hitters in the league right now. With 21 homers on the season overall, Soler has impressed many with his career-topping numbers in the 42-33 record his team has been holding up so far.

This season continues a trend in Soler’s career that began in 2019, when the Cuban really began to come into his own and figure things out as far as MLB play was concerned.

Soler’s raw power was always a plus to scouts, but the biggest question mark surrounding the outfielder’s career success had to do with his ability to put it all together. When Soler led the AL in home runs in 2019, the Royals knew they had something special on their hands.

Fast forward to now, it seems like the Marlins have fortune on their side with many other examples of sneakily talented players like Soler and Arraez.

Only time can tell if the Marlins will be able to keep their momentum up and continue to win more than lose for the remainder of the season.