With draft odds greater than playoff ones, Bendix must let Miami Marlins fight on

It has been a roller coaster season for the 2025 Miami Marlins.

Tanking? Contending? All about development? All about the win?

On the surface, the answer to that question has seemingly changed by the day- at least since early June, when the Marlins went from being sixteen games under .500 to producing one of the best records in baseball down the stretch. However, the truth of the matter is that there has never been a moment that the mission statement of the 2025 Miami Marlins and President of Baseball Operations Peter Bendix has been anything but development.

It's a reality that has been laid clear for Marlins fans many times, but perhaps never more so than the last month, when multiple instances of questionable late inning bullpen management cropped up, effectively snatching certain defeat from the jaws of possible victory- all in the service of giving valuable high leverage experience to unproven relievers. Those decisions prompted many fans to question whether the "tank" was back on. To be fair, all of those high profile examples happened after two nearly putrid weeks of losing, and during a time in the season when every win and loss goes under the microscope. They also came after All-Star Kyle Stowers went on the IL. Unfortunately, it would be equally fair to point out that if Miami had banked even just one more additional win during that time, their road to October would feel far more likely.

So here the Marlins are- seven games left in the season, and more likely to secure the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft than to participate in the 2025 MLB postseason.

Which makes this the moment where Bendix must continue to let the better angels of this contending Marlins team win out over those development lesser angels.

Because make no mistake, the temptation has to be there right now for Bendix to try to steer this momentum back off the rails. Currently, the Marlins don't even have one of the bottom eight records necessary for the draft lottery, though that's a two-game technicality that could change in a moment. Those No. 1 pick odds are higher than the playoff chances for a reason, and that's just the No. 1 spot. With a little lottery ball luck, a high selection is still well on the table.

As long as the Marlins keep showing fight though, as long as the faint slimmer of a postseason chance exists, everything possible must be done to get them there.

That means starting Sandy Alcantara on Tuesday, setting him up to take the ball on the last day of the season. That means continuing to put the game in the hands of the best relievers whenever available. That means never for a moment waving the white flag until they've been officially eliminated, not a second before...and then letting the team keep fighting on anyway against the rival Mets next weekend.

In short, giving this Marlins clubhouse every chance to feel that playoff atmosphere. It might not help the draft odds, but it will certainly develop this team well for next season.