How Marlins’ 1.164 OPS catcher could make Miami a ‘sneaky’ postseason threat despite bad Yankees Series originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Miami Marlins look like a club on a mission.
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Despite losing two out of three to the New York Yankees over the weekend, Miami was competitive, with some players primed for breakout seasons.
It wasn’t that long ago that the Marlins were a Wild Card team, earning a berth in 2023. However, they were quick exits at the hands of the Philadelphia Phillies, losing in two games.
They could be headed back to the postseason this year if their catcher/first baseman, who has shown a lot of promise, continues to mash at the plate, writes Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly.
1.164 OPS catcher is Miami’s ‘best-kept secret’
“The Fish are red hot out of the gates, with three early home runs from catcher Liam Hicks a major reason why,” Kelly wrote Saturday. “If Hicks proves to be more like the guy who posted a .778 first-half OPS a year ago than a .605 OPS after the Midsummer Classic, he could help the Marlins to be a sneaky wild-card team in 2026.”
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Hicks had just one hit in nine at-bats during the series against the Yankees, but he managed to put the ball in play in each trip to the plate, as he did not strike out. After hitting six home runs in 119 games during his rookie season, Hicks already has three dingers in the Marlins’ first nine contests.
As Kelly noted, Hicks could be a significant factor in Miami’s season. There’s not a ton of star power on the roster, but the 26-year-old from Toronto, Canada, could change that quickly.
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