In hindsight, did the Miami Marlins moves at the trade deadline to become legitimate October contenders?

Obviously not, at least by the way things happened to turn out. The club's 12-game losing streak in July created a difficult obstacle to overcome, and the Fish never really showed much fire in August and September, while the San Diego Padres and Philadelphia Phillies eventually showed why their rosters remain among the more formidable groups in the National League.

Still, it's fair to speculate is the Marlins could have done a little more at the deadline.

Miami had an opportunity to make a push for the postseason for the third time during Bruce Sherman's time as the franchise's principal owner. Reaching the Wild Card round would have been a long shot, but this year's club had shown enough promise to make a modest investment worthwhile.

Standing pat was understandable in 2025, when the organization was still working to establish its foundation. This year's team, however, demonstrated more offensive potential and had a pitching staff that offered reasons for optimism.

Sandy Alcantara and Eury Perez were delivering strong performances on the mound, and even with the midseason struggles, Miami had assembled a group that appeared capable of taking another step forward with the right additions.

Now, the focus shifts to the offseason and whether or not Peter Bendix and the front office can build on that progress.

"We'd like to add some offense," Bendix stated at the conclusion of the 2026 campaign. "You never have too much pitching. Clichés, but they're true, right? And so I think that the main thing is continuing on this path of giving our young players a chance to show us what they can do, building kind of the foundation of talent.”

The Marlins don't necessarily need to abandon their long-term strategy or sacrifice the prospects they have worked hard to acquire. Instead, they have an opportunity to complement that young talent with established major league players who can help immediately.

Free agency could help, at least in part, to achieve that goal. Adding dependable veterans and improving the overall depth of the roster would allow Miami to address its most pressing needs without consistently trading away pieces of its future.

Depth proved to be a significant challenge in 2026. For stretches, the Marlins found ways to compensate for their limitations, but injuries, inconsistent production and a shortage of reliable options eventually took their toll.

Improving the bench and bullpen should be priorities heading into 2027. A deeper roster would give the coaching staff more flexibility and help the team withstand the inevitable setbacks of a long season.

Over the past several offseasons, Miami has faced questions about whether its major league roster actually improved. Filling one hole while creating another has made it difficult to build sustained momentum.

The Marlins now have a chance to change that narrative. The young talent is there, and the 2026 season offered encouraging signs of what this group might become. With expectations gradually rising, the next step is finding the right balance between developing the future and investing in the present. If Miami can accomplish that, the foundation established this season could become the starting point for something much bigger in 2027.