Jorge Soler out to extend embarrassing Miami Marlins streak

Jorge Soler almost definitely won’t be back next year, which is what the Miami Marlins wanted … except for the fact it continues a really embarrassing trend.

Your 2023 Miami Marlins home run leader? It’s looking a lot like Jorge Soler.

With 17 home runs to his name, and counting, two months into the season, the only things that could rob him of that title are health or being traded. In terms of health, it’s hard to imagine anyone catching him as long as he plays in even 120 games. As for a trade stopping him from leading the Marlins? That would take a scenario where both Soler and another player are hitting tons of home runs deep into July, and yet the Marlins are terrible anyway. Possible, yes. Likely? The odds aren’t exactly blow a 3-0 series lead in an NBA playoff series high (dodged that bullet), but they are pretty long.

All of which is great for Jorge Soler, and in a vacuum, great for the Miami Marlins. Except for one teensy little detail.

The result here is almost certainly going to be the continuation of an abjectly humiliating and embarrassing streak that speaks volumes of the Miami Marlins offensive woes since Bruce Sherman bought the team. The kind of streak that makes sustainable, consistent winning almost impossible. A streak that … probably needs to be identified before wringing my hands any further.

The last time the Miami Marlins entered a full-length regular season with the previous season’s home run leader on the roster was Opening Day 2017.

You read that right. Excluding Brian Anderson carrying over his 11 home runs total from the 2020 COVID-19 campaign, the last Miami Marlins player to lead his team in home runs and get another season in a Marlins uniform to repeat the feat was Giancarlo Stanton. Since Stanton blasted those 59 home runs in 2017 though? Stanton, J.T. Realmuto, Starlin Castro, Adam Duvall (technically tied with Jesus Aguilar, but I’m not letting that get in the way of my point), and Jesus Aguilar have all led the team, and then been either traded or deemed unworthy of bringing back for another go.

In any one season, that’s explainable. Older veterans have clear outlier seasons. Teams scrap their rosters and pursue rebuilds. On Opening Day 2023, the Marlins (Aguilar) were joined by the Cincinnati Reds (Brandon Drury) and Washington Nationals (Juan Soto) in kicking things off without the 2022 home run champ. In the case of the Reds and Nationals, that was in pursuit of the goal to be as terrible as possible. In Miami’s case, that was with the goal of being better, as Aguilar was clearly not worth retaining at the time.

Year after year though? It’s both unheard of and impractical. This rinse and repeat approach can be, and has been, rough on the fanbase. It unquestionably makes it hard on the mission to bring new fans aboard. Despite valid complaints about those three true outcomes, home runs are sexy, and get people excited. Especially the kids that the Marlins need to become those future season ticket holders. More often than not, a team’s home run leader is going to be the most popular player. The one fans are excited to pay and go watch. The one that is going to make those memories, and inspire those merchandise purchases.

So unless a surprise Soler extension happens, Opening Day 2024 is going to make it seven straight years that Miami Marlins enter a full season without their defending home run hero.

That’s a dicey approach to winning baseball games, and winning new fans. The Miami Marlins need to stop it — if not next season, then certainly the following one.