Miami Marlins: 5 Predictions for Remainder of the 2021 Season

As we inch closer to the end of the 2021 Miami Marlins season, there are still numerous things to look forward-to over the course of the next two months.

What will happen in the remainder of the 2021 Miami Marlins season?

With the Marlins most-likely out of potential postseason contention, Miami will likely showcase their younger players over the next two months, as well as getting an idea for what they may have going into 2022. Because of this, we may see some prospects get called-up, as well as younger players receive more playing time going forward.

When trying to predict what we may see over the next two months, there are arguably five main points that stick out in particular. However, there are two predictions in particular that need to be mentioned as well.

HM – Trevor Rogers wins 2021 NL Rookie of the Year

Rogers is most-likely the current leader for the NL Rookie of the Year posting a 7-6 record with a 2.45 ERA with 40 walks, 129 strikeouts, and a league-leading 0.4 HR/9. With a strong last two months, the 23-year old southpaw should run away with the award.

HM – Jesus Aguilar leads team Hits, Home Runs, and RBI’s

Currently slashing .263/.328/.465, Jesus Aguilar currently leads the team in both hits and RBI’s, as well as AVG and OBP. The NL leader in RBI’s for the 2021 season, Aguilar is currently four behind former Marlin Adam Duvall for the team lead in home runs in 2021.

So, here are five predictions for the remainder of the 2021 Miami Marlins season.

5. Miami Marlins finish 4th in NL East

The Marlins enter play on Wednesday night in Miami with a 46-61 overall record, good for fifth in the NL East. Miami is also one of two NL East teams with a positive run differential (Braves), and have a strong chance to remain in the positive if the pitching staff continues its strong season.

While Miami hasn’t started the second half of the season well with a 6-11 record entering play on Tuesday, the Marlins are only currently three games behind the Nationals for fourth place in the NL East.

The Nationals were massive sellers at the 2021 MLB Trade Deadline, selling numerous key contributors off their team in the process. Because of this, Washington will most-likely begin to slide in the standings, making a fourth place finish in the division seemingly possible for the Marlins.

Looking ahead, the Marlins will play at-least six teams in postseason contention including NL East division foes including the Mets, Phillies, and Braves, as well as notable series’ against the Padres, Reds, and Rays. If the race for fourth in the division comes down to the on-field play between the Marlins and Nationals as well, the two teams meet nine more times this season, six of which are in Miami.

When looking at the talent remaining combined with how each team is currently performing, is it too crazy to say that the Marlins will finish fourth in the NL East when the 2021 season ends in two months?

4. Miami Marlins Finish Top 5 in Team ERA

The Marlins enter Wednesday’s game at loanDepot Park against the Mets ranked tied-fourth in all of baseball in Team ERA at 3.53.

Miami’s young starting rotation has been dominant for the entire season headlined by the big three of Sandy Alcantara, Trevor Rogers, and Pablo Lopez, as well as the emergence of fairly unknown names coming into the season such as Zach Thompson and more.

The Marlins bullpen has played a big role in this as well with the impressive seasons from relievers such as Anthony Bender, Dylan Floro, and Richard Bleier. Miami’s bullpen has been one of the best in baseball at times this season, and hasn’t necessarily showed any signs of slowing down anytime soon.

Looking ahead, the Marlins will most-likely see some potential extensive time from a few of their young players including top prospects Edward Cabrera and potentially Max Meyer and Jake Eder. Newly acquired southpaw Jesus Luzardo should also feature a prominent role in the Marlins rotation going forward as well, and if his debut from Monday night is anything to go-off, the left-hander will be an impact starter for Miami going forward.

The Marlins pitching staff as a whole has been phenomenal this season, and could receive some boosts to the rotation in the near future as well. Currently ranked among the Top 5 in baseball in team ERA, this pitching staff certainly appears to have a great shot to finish the 2021 season among the best in the game.

3. Miami Marlins 2022 Catcher Emerges

It is no secret that Marlins catcher Jorge Alfaro has struggled at times during the 2021 season both offensively and defensively. Slashing .223/.274/.324 for the season, Alfaro has also allowed a league-leading 12 passed ball’s during the 2021 campaign.

The Marlins could very-well opt-to acquire a backstop via trade during the offseason as previously mentioned players such as Willson Contreras and Mitch Garver would be intriguing options. However, what if the Marlins already had their 2022 catcher internally?

Recently acquired catcher Alex Jackson is a potential candidate to takeover as Miami’s primary backstop, who hit his first major league home run during Tuesday night’s win over the Mets. After showcasing some impressive power numbers in Triple-A the past couple of seasons, Jackson is simply waiting for a full-time big league opportunity to showcase what he can do, and he might just get that over the next two months.

While also recently acquired backstop Payton Henry would also be a possibility, he would likely potentially debut during the 2022 season at some point.

While the Marlins could always keep Alfaro, it makes sense that Miami could possibly look in other directions this offseason. However, could an emergence from Jackson make the starting catcher role his going into 2022?

1. Miami Marlins Prospect Call-Ups

One of the most looked forward-to moments of a major league baseball season are the September call-ups. This is where rosters expand for a potential playoff push, and teams call-up their top prospects to make their MLB debuts to either help them make the postseason, or show the fanbase a glimpse of the future.

With the Marlins likely out of postseason contention this season, Miami will likely call-up a few notable prospects for their MLB debut’s at some point over the next two months.

When looking at potential options, there are none that stick-out more than No. 4 prospect Edward Cabrera. Cabrera, a hard-throwing right-hander, is currently in Triple-A with a 3.38 ERA across three starts, and could receive the call at almost any moment now.

A few other options are Double-A starters No. 3 Max Meyer and No. 21 Jake Eder, both of whom have posted an ERA under-2.00 during their first professional season. When looking at positional players, there is always a chance we could see No. 2 prospect JJ Bleday, as well as potentially other notables including No. 11 Peyton Burdick, No. 16 Griffin Conine, and No. 19 Jerar Encarnacion.

While a few of the Marlins top prospects have already made their MLB debuts, there is also a chance we could see each of them in the big leagues for-good going forward. Regardless, we should see plenty of top Marlins prospects get called-up over the next two months.

When looking at the remainder of the 2021 Miami Marlins season, these five points seem likely to happen at some point between now and October. Team accolades, 2022 outlooks, and prospects debuting are only a few small things to watch for the Marlins going forward.