A casual fan's guide to the 2026 Marlins season
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Owen Caissie (right) showed his potential for Team Canada. Marlins fans hope he'll keep it up this season. Photo: Mary DeCicco/WBCI/MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Marlins begin the 2026 season with a new manager as they work to develop a collection of young talent.
Why it matters: The Marlins tend to lurk near the bottom of the NL East only to periodically — usually, unexpectedly — emerge as a contender.
- That happening this year would likely require breakout performances from some of Miami's collection of 20-somethings.
⚾️ The Fish host the Colorado Rockies on Friday at 7:10pm. Tickets start around $18. As for how to watch at home ... we'll come back to that.
- If you go, you'll get a Kyle Stowers bobblehead. But you will not see Kyle Stowers play, because he is injured.
😬 About that
Stowers is an All-Star outfielder and likely the Marlins' best hitter, and he's expected to miss up to a month as his hamstring heals.
- Enter Austin Slater, formerly of the White Sox and Yankees. The Marlins hope he can hold down the fort until Stowers is back.
👶 Marlins babies
The Marlins have several young players who've shown promise, including infielders Otto López (27) and Xavier Edwards (26).
- But keep an eye on Owen Caissie, a 23-year-old outfielder who played well for Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic.
💼 Meet the new boss
Clayton McCullough was hired this offseason to become the Marlins' 17th manager, replacing Skip Schumaker.
- Formerly first base coach for the Dodgers, McCullough is credited with boosting superstars Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts.
- Betts called McCullough his "favorite coach ever."
📺 How to watch
The Marlins were among the teams that dumped the ailing FanDuel Sports Network, opting for MLB's streaming product, Marlins.TV.
- A full-season package runs $99.99.
- You can also watch via cable or satellite, but details vary between providers. This Miami Herald guide lays out the complex web of options.
🛍️ Get that swag
Click here for a list of this year's game-specific giveaways, ranging from bobbleheads to a Curaçao-sponsored captain's hat.
🔮 Prediction time
Longtime baseball writer Keith Law, in his season preview for The Athletic, forecast a 72-90 record and fourth-place finish for the Marlins.
- Miami "might prevent a few more runs this year," Law writes, "... but this offense looks like it's going to be well below-average."