A total of five teams are within three games of each other for two wild card spots in the National League of Major League Baseball (MLB), and Bahamian Jasrado 'Jazz' Chisholm Jr. and the Miami Marlins are right in the mix as they seek to advance to the postseason for the second time in four years, following up on their appearance in the bubble in 2020. It would also be just the fourth time in their 31-year existence.
With just 40 games remaining, the Marlins find themselves four games over .500 baseball with a 63-59 win/loss record, 16 games behind the league-leading Atlanta Braves in the National League East Division but tied with the Cincinnati Reds for possession of the final wild card spot in the National League. They are both just a game and a half behind the San Francisco Giants for the second wild card spot.
The Marlins have lost two straight games, but before that, they won five out of six. When Guardian Sports caught up with Chisholm during a recent road trip to Cincinnati, the Bahamian star baseball player said he is "all in" in getting the Marlins to the playoffs. He had just returned from a third stint on the Injury List, this time with a sore hamstring, and vowed that he would do whatever he can to stay in the lineup for the remainder of the season.
Since coming back, Chisholm is batting .207 with a home run and six runs scored in nine games. In his first at-bat on his latest return to action, he had a solo home run. Since coming back, he has also flashed the leather, turning in some stellar plays from his center field position.
"It's all about making a run and finishing strong and I believe we have the team to do it. I'm all in. This is the time for us to gear up and do whatever we can to make the playoffs," said Chisholm. "I'm excited for what's in store for the rest of the season. I feel like it's coming together at the right time for us and we just have to keep trying and keep pushing."
The Marlins appear to be getting healthy, and are having optioned players return to the majors, at the right time. Chisholm is back from
injury and so is ace Sandy Alcantara and two-time all star and reigning American League Batting Champion Luis Arraez. Eury Pérez, joining a solid rotation that is underrated and that could power the Marlins down the stretch.
Chisholm and the Marlins lost to the World Series Champions Houston Astros, 12-5, on Wednesday, and dropped the series two games to one, but won two straight series before that.
Now, they are faced with what should be an intense weekend series against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Southern California. The Dodgers lead the National League West with a 73-46 win/loss record. Following their weekend series at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, the Marlins will stay out west to face the San Diego Padres and then head back to the east coast to host the Washington Nationals for three games at loanDepot Park in Miami, Florida.
Chisholm still has an outside shot of a 20-20 season (home runs and stolen bases) and he appears to be up to the challenge.
For the season, the Marlins 25-year-old star center fielder is batting .250 with 11 home runs, 16 stolen bases, 25 RBIs (runs batted in) and 29 runs scored. He has split time between the top four spots in the Marlins batting lineup this season, and if not for injuries, he could have experienced a breakout year.
The Marlins will have their hands full down the stretch run of the season as they have six games left against the Dodgers, seven against the National League Central leading Milwaukee Brewers and three against the Braves and Philadelphia Phillies each, both of whom they look up to in the National League East.
The Marlins were a season-high 14 games over .500 after a 7-3 win over the Phillies on Sunday, July 9, but lost a season-high eight in a row coming out of the break and struggled to get back to their early season form until recently.
If the Marlins are successful in advancing to the playoffs this season, it would be just the fourth time in the franchise's 31-year history. On two of those trips, they went all the way and won the World Series - in 1997 over the Cleveland Indians and 2003 over the New York Yankees.
Both were in wild card seasons and the Marlins are hoping that history repeats itself this year.
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