As we reach the 50-game mark of a very long season, we have conjured up some thoughts about these Miami Marlins. Some aspects are better, and some aspects are worse than originally predicted. As it currently stands, they are five and a half games back from the first-place Atlanta Braves.
The Marlins made headlines this offseason when they acquired the contact-hitting bat of Luis Arraez for Pablo López and a variety of prospects. It was a bold move, as López was the second-best pitcher on the staff and was great last season. Arraez had heavy expectations coming into the season.
So far, he has surpassed those expectations, and then some. His 1.9 WAR is one of the best in the majors. Furthermore, his batting average is very high through 50 games as he is batting .383 to start the season. Arraez has been the most valuable player for the Marlins, and it shows. It may be early, but it seems the Marlins won the trade.
Luis Arraez is the only qualified player in MLB to not strike out twice in a game this season.
He hasn’t struck out twice in a game since August 2022. pic.twitter.com/kFueKvshUt
— Danny Vietti (@DannyVietti) May 23, 2023
Jorge Soler has been playing much better than his previous season. He has been playing to the level of his contract that he was paid. Many questioned if this was a bust contract. However, he has been the power this Marlins lineup needs with 12 home runs on the year. His .241 average is fine for someone with his power. You can live with his average when he can send the ball well over 400 feet.
Early Season Evaluation for Marlins
It could be said that being at the 500. mark on the season at this point is a victory within itself. There have been many Marlins’ teams that were just bad and folded early and never recovered from a bad start. This team still has plenty of time to make up for those lost games, as the Braves are struggling with injuries, and the Mets have also been inconsistent.
There have been some disappointments early on in the season. The two main ones would be Sandy Alcantara and Jazz Chisholm Jr. Jazz has been hit with the injury bug. You can’t blame him for that as it happens in baseball. The Marlins will look forward to his return this season as he brings much excitement to the game and their lineup.
Alcantara’s Struggles
Alcantara has also been a disappointment. Perhaps one of the biggest disappointments this season, Alcantara’s ERA has skyrocketed from what it once was this year. He’s the reigning Cy Young award winner last year, and so far this year he hasn’t looked anything like that version. He owns a 5.05 ERA with a 1-5 record. He still has time to get it together, but the critics and the fans are equally confused about his falloff.
If you could evaluate this group right now what would you give them? It’s still very hard to tell what this team is. The bats have been better than expected, but the pitching is far worse than expected. They are having to live and die on the arm of Alcantara and he is falling apart by being overworked. This team has a lot of time left to continue to improve the pitching because the bats will do their jobs. Now it is time for the pitching to follow suit.
Photo Credit: Kelly L Cox- USA TODAY Sports
Players Mentioned: Luis Arraez, Pablo López, Jorge Soler, Sandy Alcantara, Jazz Chisholm Jr.
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