Miami Marlins fans can't be shocked at the result of their Wild Card series against the Phillies. Clearly, Philadelphia is a team that is built for the postseason and a year ago dispatched the Atlanta Braves and made it all the way to the World Series. To say that Miami was an underdog is a vast understatement.
The Atlanta Braves, New York Mets, and Phillies were supposed to be the interesting teams in the National League, not the Miami Marlins. The Marlins survived a late-season surge from the Chicago Cubs and locked up their Wild Card spot in a season that should be viewed as an encouragement.
Miami Marlins can now focus on 2024
While fans may never be satisfied with their team simply being there, the Miami Marlins should be proud of what they accomplished. The team managed a postseason berth despite key injuries and facing teams with far more offensive firepower.
This Marlins team can only win games one way and they fought all season and, despite how ugly the end of the season was, have a myriad of reasons to feel accomplished. Unlike the Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays, and Tampa Bay Rays who are sitting at home questioning their futures, the Marlins should be the complete opposite.
Miami is a cheaply built team with all of their key pieces either locked up or having player/team options. Clearly, this team knows what they need to do moving forward to become a problem in the National League East for the Braves and Phillies.
The Marlins should get its rotation healthy and continue to develop its impressive young pitching staff while looking to add middle-of-the-order bats in the offseason. This Marlins team, when healthy with one or two key offseason additions to the lineup, is absolutely a Wild Card contender and could make a postseason run.
Miami plays in arguably the toughest division in the league and still managed to sneak into the playoffs playing a sustainable form of baseball with a young roster that will continue to improve. Miami fans might be understandably frustrated with the ugly way things ended. However, this is a team with a bright future that far exceeded expectations and should feel great moving into the 2024 offseason.