For Miami Marlins and pitcher Max Meyer, it's almost as if the second half of the 2026 Major League Baseball season was a series of shockwaves.

Meyer made 18 starts through July 1 (including one on that day), recording an outstanding 9-1 with a 2.53 ERA in 103 innings,  78 hits, 112 strikeouts, 36 walks, and a 1.11 WHIP. At that point in the season, he was even being mentioned as a potential NL Cy Young candidate. Then, Meyer started to show signs of fatigue and ultimately broke down.

Meyer made only two starts after July 1: On July 7, he took the ball against the Seattle Mariners, tossing five innings, allowing two runs on four hits. It was a solid, but not spectacular, outing. Next time around, he exited his outing against the Milwaukee Brewers early due to discomfort. After three innings on the mound, he had allowed two earned runs, struck out five, and walked three.

It would be his final appearance of the season.
The 27-year-old hurler was added to the Injured List on July 20 with a neck strain.  

That means that since the Marlins completed their magical month of June, where the went a franchise-record 20-6, Meyer has recorded just eight innings of work. In that abbreviated time, he gave up four earned runs and recorded nine strikeouts and five walks. Meyer didn't figure into the decision in either of the two games. That means that since the midway point of the year, he has produced a 0-0 record, 4.50 ERA, and 1.50 WHIP.

At the same time, it's as if the Marlins' downfall as a team coincided with losing Meyer, who was the team's ace through June. As he flamed out, the Fish dropped 12 straight games in July and never really looked the same from there. Having Meyer in the mix would have remedied at least a few of those losses. The season's outcome may have been much different if they had gotten at least 30 starts from the hurler.

So the question for Miami heading into the 2027 campaign is: What exactly can they expect from their number-two pitcher? 

The season was an overall success for Meyer, who seemed to take a big step towards being a top-level starter. Even though he only had 20 starts and 111 innings pitched, the righty still made his first All-Star team. But from there, he produced nothing.

For Meyer, 2027 is a pivotal year in his career. Just as he was beginning to establish himself alongside veteran star Sandy Alcantara as a leader on the hill, the Fish never got to see how his story played out. So, he needs a full, healthy season in 2027 to show the club that he's worthy of being mentioned in that kind of company.

Was the first half of 2026 just lightning in a bottle? Can Meyer build off a really good record and grow it into something even bigger and more elite?

It's likely he will. While it may have taken him a while to straighten out his strategy, he's matured into the kind of pitcher that could easily win 12-15 games in 2026. If he's able to have that kind of bounce back? Then, Miami can almost count on a return to the postseason a year from now.