Call to the pen
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Three Reasons Miami Marlins Should Consider Major Trade

By Sean Millerick

DENVER, COLORADO - MAY 23: Trevor Story #27 of the Colorado Rockies hits a walk off home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the ninth inning at Coors Field on May 23, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
DENVER, COLORADO - MAY 23: Trevor Story #27 of the Colorado Rockies hits a walk off home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the ninth inning at Coors Field on May 23, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
(Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) /

Because the Miami Marlins can win the NL East

Just like in 2020, coming into 2021, the Miami Marlins were viewed as being lucky to finish fourth in the NL East.

But just like in 2020, that’s a narrative that has started rapidly changing once the games started being played.

Sure, at this moment they actually are only fourth in the NL East. As mentioned earlier though, they are also just three games out of first. Top to bottom, the East is looking like the tightest division race in baseball. The standings shuffle daily.

Miami has been more than holding their own, and even with a slew of injuries, can boast two major advantages over every other team.

For one, they currently have the best run differential in the division. Admittedly, that’s unlikely to hold up through September. Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor are going to remember how to hit at some point. The Braves have remembered already. Still, Miami has accomplished this run differential feat almost entirely without the services of their best hitter, and Marte returns this weekend to Miami’s lineup. So while keeping up the pace they are on seems unlikely, it seems equally fair to declare Miami’s offensive potential much better than projected in the preseason.

Secondly, beyond question, the Marlins have the best trio of starting pitchers in the division.

There’s really just no arguing that point. Trevor Rogers‘ emergence has put Miami in a position to have the best starting rotation outside of the NL West if they can get Sixto Sanchez back for the second half. Only the Mets come close, and that’s assuming they do get Carlos Carrasco back this year. The Marlins certainly expected pitching to be their strength in 2021, but they certainly didn’t expect this level of dominance. If they had, they would have spent more in the offseason.

Maybe not though- prudence was still called for when sizing up the division on paper this winter. As the calendar turns to June though, with every NL East team battling injuries, it really does look like it’s going to be a fair fight to the finish.

Starting pitching is the ultimate trump card. Making Miami’s offense just a little bit better could be just the ticket to the first division title in franchise history.

Even if you go on to lose to the Dodgers in the playoffs, that would be worth it. Especially….

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