Nationals: What To Expect From The Rest Of The NL East

Miami Marlins

2020 Record: 31-29

Notable Players Acquired/Re-signed: Adam Duvall, Dylan Floro, John Curtiss

Notable Players Lost: Brandon Kintzler

Thanks to the shortened season, Miami was able to sneak into the playoffs. To cap things off, they swept the Chicago Cubs in the Wild Card round before being eliminated by a superior Braves team. Similar to Washington, Miami will be led by their up-and-coming starting rotation, headed by the trio of Sixto Sanchez, Sandy Alcantara, and Pablo Lopez. Acquired as the headliner in the J.T. Realmuto trade, Sanchez is the future ace of the rotation. He made his MLB debut in 2020, going 3-2. with a 3.46 ERA, 33 strikeouts, and a 3.50 FIP in seven starts. Sanchez made headlines in the playoffs, throwing five shutout out innings, with six strikeouts in game two against the Cubs.

Similar to Sanchez, Alcantara was acquired when the Marlins decided to strip down the roster, being a part of the Marcell Ozuna trade. Since arriving in Miami, Alcantara has taken over as the team’s ace and built upon his early success in 2020. He finished the season 3-2, with a 3.00 ERA, 39 strikeouts, and a 3.71 FIP in seven starts. Rounding out the trio is Pablo Lopez. While he’s the lesser-known of the three, Lopez impressed in 2020. He went 6-4, with a 3.61 ERA, 59 strikeouts, and a 3.09 FIP. Behind the trio is Elieser Hernandez, who in six starts, posted a 3.16 ERA. Recently, Miami signed veteran old friend Gio Gonzalez to a minor league deal with an invite to Spring Training. On the back nine of his career, it will be interesting to see if he has anything left in the tank. Other names to keep an eye on for the fifth spot are Daniel Castano and Nick Neidert.

The offense is a work in progress, with the lineup littered with veterans. Corey Dickerson, Garrett Cooper, Jorge Alfaro, Jesus Aguilar, Miguel Rojas, Adam Duvall, and Starling Marte add much-needed veteran leadership, while the Marlins slowly start to promote their top prospects. Jazz Chisholm, Isan Diaz, Jesus Sanchez, and Braxton Garrett are all looking to break into the lineup and are seen as the future of the club.

Miami’s bullpen is nothing special, especially after closer Brandon Kintlzer left in free agency. In his place are Dylan Floro and John Curtiss. Both are coming off of successful years with their 2020 clubs and will add some much-needed depth.

While the Marlins are unlikely to compete this year, keep an eye on their stacked farm system. Sixto Sanchez will become a full-time member of the Marlins roster, while Jesus Sanchez, Chisholm, Diaz, and Neidert could all be called up this year at some point. J.J. Bleday, the Marlins top position player prospect is another name to keep an eye on. He flourished at Vanderbilt and could become a September callup.

Miami is no longer an easy win on the schedule and will be a tough challenge for anyone they face.

Predictions: Miami finishes last in the NL East.