One normally doesn’t see a Fish cascading down a waterfall, but the Miami Marlins are engaging in something quite extraordinary. After having a remarkable 2023 that saw them entering the playoffs, things have cooled off rather quickly for the Miracle Marlins. Turns out, sometimes miracles can also manifest themselves negatively, and that’s what’s happening right now for the team. 

Most expected the Marlins to not only continue with the momentum of 2023 but to also add a bit more gasoline to their tank. Historically, one of the lowest payroll teams, The Fish, has always been successful in swimming with the sharks. But it looks the 2023-24 offseason has derailed their journey.

Miami Marlins fail to recreate the 2023 magic 

The Marlins were one of the biggest surprises of last season. Amidst a series of big market teams dominating the field, here were the Marlins with an 84-win season. Despite losing in the Wild Card Series to the Philadelphia Phillies, there was a lot of positive to take from The Fightin’ Fish’s season. If anyone predicted that they’d be stumbling hard after this high, one would have called them crazy, but that’s exactly what has happened. 

Ever since the season ended, the Marlins have been taking blow after blow. The first and perhaps the biggest was the loss of their GM Kim Ng, who was one of the biggest proponents of their successful years. The real tragedy was the apparent lack of appreciation felt by Kim Ng from the owner, Bruce Sherman. But that was just the beginning. 

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that “Miami’s estimated payroll of $97 million is $13 million below where it finished last season.” An even scarier stat is that the Marlins are now the only team to not have made a single free agent signing in the league. Even the similarly budgeted Kansas City Royals have spent $105 million on free agents this year. So what is up with the Marlins?

Watch the Story: From Black Betsy To Wonder Boy: Baseball’s Most Iconic Bats

In a bid to be more sustainable like the Tampa Bay Rays, the Marlins are trying to focus more on developing internally. The only issue? Their farm isn’t as good as desired. 

How the urge to plan for the future is affecting the present

According to Bleacher Report, the Marlins’ farm ranks 29th in the league. They’re trying to be like the Rays without having the resources to do it. The result is that The Fish is sacrificing its present success. The team did not extend the $20.325 million qualifying offer to Jorge Soler – the slugger who hit 36 home runs last season. 

They could go for draft picks and trades like the Baltimore Orioles, but are they willing to face the pain that the O’s did? The team looks like it’s in purgatory right now and doesn’t know where to go. Will The Fish swim out of the limbo?

Read more: Tampa Bay Rays and Miami Marlins Enter Massive 2023 Trade Market With Shocking Inter-State Move