The Royals resume the second half with a road series in Miami. At the beginning of the year, you probably circled this as a series the Royals should easily win or even sweep. The perpetually stingy Marlins ownership fielded a team with a $68.5 million Opening Day payroll, lowest in baseball. They have the youngest lineup in baseball, and the third-youngest pitching staff.
And yet, the Marlins aren’t looking too bad as we head into this July series. They had a rough start to the season, but have won
21 of their last 34, the second-best record in the National League over that time, surging past the mighty Braves in the standings.
Kansas City Royals (47-50) vs. Miami Marlins (44-51) at loanDepot park, Miami, FL
Royals: 3.38 runs scored/game (29th in MLB), 3.67 runs allowed/game (2nd)
Marlins: 4.29 runs scored/game (18th), 4.87 runs allowed/game (24th)
The Marlins have struggled to score runs much of the year, but had a pair of double-digit outbursts in the week leading up to the All-Star break. Only four teams have hit fewer home runs, but they have the ninth-highest batting average at .254, and they have the sixth-best wRC+ with runners in scoring position.
Kyle Stowers was acquired from the Orioles at the trade deadline last year and he has blossomed into the Marlins’ best power hitter. He’s hitting .381/.467/.873 with nine home runs in his last 20 games and he has the fourth-best hard-hit rate in baseball. Agustín Ramírez is second among all rookies with 14 home runs, trailing only Nick Kurtz. Dane Myers is hitting .338/.400/.515 against lefties. Heriberto Hernandez is hitting .371/.395/.629 in 38 plate appearances against right-handers. Jesús Sánchez is hitting .304/.363/.464 at home.
Otto Lopez has the sixth-most infield hits in baseball. Myers got off to a great start, but is hitting just .192/.250/.205 in his last 22 games. Xavier Edwards has the second-lowest ISO in baseball.
The Marlins are an average defensive team with Lopez, Edwards, and Myers providing strong defense up the middle. Ramirez has thrown out just 12 percent of would-be basestealers. The Marlins are a below-avearge base-stealing team, although they have a number of players that can be a threat to swipe a base.
The Marlins’ highest-paid player is 2022 Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara, who has struggled mightily this year after missing all of last year following Tommy John surgery. The right-hander has given up 18 runs over his last three starts and he hasn’t gone more than six innings in a start this year. He has been much better at home than on the road, allowing opponents to hit just .222/.288/.357 at loandepot Park. He tossed a four-hit complete game shutout in his only career start against the Royals back in 2019.
Cal Quantrill led the league in walks last year with the Rockies, but he has significantly improved his walk rate this year. He has yet to pitch as many as six innings in a start this year. He has a reverse split with righties hitting .371/.410/.653 against him. Opponents are hitting .361 against his 93 mph four-seamer.
Janson Junk was claimed off waivers twice last year, eventually signing as a minor league free agent with the Marlins in the off-season. The 29-year-old had a 6.75 ERA in 40 innings across parts of four seasons with the Angels, Brewers, and Athletics, but has found success this year with the Marlins as a starter. He allowed just two earned runs over 19 innings in his three starts before the break, including seven shutout innings against the Orioles in his last outing. His sweeper has been very effective this year, with opponents hitting just .172 against it with a 24.6 percent whiff rate.
Marlins relievers have a 4.05 ERA, slightly below-average. Ronny Henriquez has been getting save opportunities lately, although the Marlins could turn to Calvin Faucher or former Royals farmhand Anthony Bender in late-game situations. Henriquez has stranded 86 percent of inherited runners. Faucher has one of the lowest hard-hit rates at 19.8 percent. Tyler Phillips has the seventh-lowest strikeout rate among qualified relievers. Valente Belllozo has the fourth-lowest walk rate.
The Marlins have once again gone young, but they seem to have found a few decent hitters that could give them a foundation to build around - if they keep them. The pitching has been a lot more erratic however, which could allow Royals hitters to get the second half off to a much better start than they showed in the first half.
More from royalsreview.com:
- Royals Rumblings - News for July 15, 2025
- Royals draft prep hitter Sean Gamble at pick 23
- Royals Reacts Results - MLB fixes an All-Star mistake
- TWitM: Carson Roccaforte is rockin’ the bat
- The 2025 All-Star Game open thread
- Kris Bubic’s transformation into an All-Star
- Royals double down on prep position players, draft Josh Hammond at 28th overall
