The Miami Marlins will be looking to improve on a 2022 season where only the disastrous play of the Washington Nationals kept them out of bottom spot in the National League East. It will not be easy – the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets were both 101-game winners in the division – but the Marlins will at least be looking to improve on the 32 games they finished out of first place last campaign.
The Marlins start at home in 2023, with the Mets heading to loanDepot park for the first game of a four-game series on Thursday, March 30. This is immediately followed by the Minnesota Twins visiting Miami for three games starting Monday, April 3. Marlins’ fans have three more home series to look forward to in April, with the Arizona Diamondbacks, San Franciso Giants, and Chicago Cubs all visiting South Beach in the first month of the season.
Here are three questions for the Marlins ahead of the 2023 season.
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Three Key Questions
Can the Marlins catch up?
Few teams have a tougher row to hoe to make the playoffs than the Marlins. Along with the aforementioned Braves and Mets, the Miami franchise also has to catch the Philadelphia Phillies, a team that finished 2022 with an 87-75 record and a playoff spot. Those three teams are all expected to be outstanding again in 2023, with their already strong cores boosted by heavy spending. The Marlins don’t play that game -they can’t afford to – so any improvement has to come from within or from shred additions. Catching up won’t be easy, but the pieces are there to be better this summer.
How good will Jazz Chisholm be?
The Marlins have a budding superstar in second baseman Jazz Chisholm. Some would say he has already arrived – he is the cover athlete for the video game MLB The Show 23 -but the Bahamian-born player still has bags of potential to grow into. Chisholm is an electric player, one that others can feed off of when he is applying at his peak, he will make the whole team better. The 25-year-old only played in 60 games last season, posting a 2.4 WAR that will only get higher as he grows as a player. Watch this space.
Does the pitching rotation work?
The Marlins seem to be toying with the idea of a six-man pitching rotation in 2023. They have the NL Cy Young winner at the top of the rotation in Sandy Alcantara, and the addition of Johnny Cueto gives them another right-hander that will win games. Lefty Jesus Luzardo is already good, but the Marlins think he can be great. They must find fourth and fifth options – perhaps a return to form for Trevor Rodgers? – while Eury Perez is waiting in the wings to be called up. If they can figure out a way to get all the arms innings, this is a staff that no one will want to face.
Upcoming Marlins Home Games (Before the All-Star Break)
Mon, April 3 – Minnesota Twins
Tue, April 4 – Minnesota Twins
Wed, April 5 – Minnesota Twins
Fri, April 14 – Arizona Diamondbacks
Sat, April 15 – Arizona Diamondbacks
Sun, April 16 – Arizona Diamondbacks
Mon, April 17 – San Francisco Giants
Tue, April 18- San Francisco Giants
Wed, April 19 – San Francisco Giants
Tue, May 16 – Washington Nationals
Wed, May 17 – Washington Nationals
Thu, May 18 – Washington Nationals
Tue, May 30 – San Diego Padres
Wed, May 31 – San Diego Padres
Thu, June 1 – San Diego Padres
Fri, June 2 – Oakland Athletics
Sat, June 3 -Oakland Athletics
Sun, June 4 – Oakland Athletics
Mon, June 5 – Kansas City Royals
Tue, June 6 – Kansas City Royals
Wed, June 7 – Kansas City Royals
Mon, June 19 – Toronto Blue Jays
Tue, June 20 – Toronto Blue Jays
Wed, June 21 – Toronto Blue Jays
Thu, June 22 – Pittsburgh Pirates
Fri, June 23 – Pittsburgh Pirates
Sat, June 24 – Pittsburgh Pirates
Sun, June 25 – Pittsburgh Pirates
Mon, July 3 – St. Louis Cardinals
Tue, July 4 – St. Louis Cardinals
Wed, July 5 – St. Louis Cardinals
Thu, July 6 – St. Louis Cardinals
Fri, July 7 – Philadelphia Phillies
Sat, July 8 – Philadelphia Phillies
Sun, July 9 – Philadelphia Phillies
