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Stock Down: Miami Marlins’ disastrous second-half start

One of the better stories in the first half was the season the Miami Marlins were having. If it was not for the Braves, they would have been closer to the top of the National League East Division. In fact, they spent most of the first half with the second-best record in the NL.

Young star Luis Arraez was flirting with .400 in the first half and was a big reason for Miami’s start. He had multiple games with five hits, which is unheard of anymore. All of the good vibes the Marlins had in the first half disappeared quickly in the first six games after the break.

The second-half start could not be any worse as they were swept by the Baltimore Orioles, then were swept by the St. Louis Cardinals, who were sitting in the basement of the National League Central before the Marlins arrived in town. Arraez is getting a sign of what might come in the second half with teams pitching the lefty more cautiously.

Arraez has just eight hits after the break and Miami’s pitching has not been as good as it was before the break. They have gone from holding down the first Wild Card spot in the NL to being passed by the Philadelphia Phillies for the final spot just ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Francisco Giants. It’s safe to say that their upcoming three-game series at home against the Colorado Rockies is a must-sweep or getting two out of three at worst.