Hard-running Marlins making MLB splash with recent acquisitions
Despite ranking 29th in payroll, Miami's rebuilding project is bringing in young talent and an exciting brand of baseball.
Hard-running Marlins making MLB splash with recent acquisitions originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . Down 9-6 to the New York Yankees at the top of the ninth inning, Miami Marlins ' Otto Lopez connected on a routine grounder to second baseman Jazz Chisolm, who has previously been criticized for his in-game mental lapses.
Case in point. Chisholm lackadaisically fielded the ball and tossed to first baseman Ben Rice, expecting to execute the first out of the inning on minimal effort. Lopez, showcasing the growing Marlins' hard-running culture, hustled and outran the relay.
The play sparked a mini-rally as Lopez scored on Xavier Edwards' single. The comeback may have fizzled at Yankee Stadium last Saturday, but the all-out hustle standard appears to have been set. Losers of 100 games two seasons ago, the Marlins started 2026 with eight wins in their opening 13 outings.
Their aggressive start continues to be fueled by recent acquisitions that align with the team's fundamental strategy: run hard. Entering Friday's matchup at the light-hitting Detroit Tigers (4-9), the Marlins continue to outpace the league with 3. 3 baserunning runs, according to MLB Now .