The Miami Marlins continue to remain one of Major League Baseball's biggest underdogs. On paper, they project worse than they've played in the last few seasons, even flirting with a postseason opportunity before finishing 2026 at 80-82.

The National League has been the more dominant league in MLB recently, making it harder for the Marlins to be seen as a top team. This is primarily because they struggle to compete with several other teams within their own league.

Holding positives and negatives as a franchise that impact their outlook heading into the offseason, Miami has been given its way-too-early power rankings by MLB.com's Will Leitch

Marlins Power Rankings Revealed

The Marlins are ranked 21st in the power rankings, just missing being ranked as a Top 20 team in the league. The issue with Miami is that it doesn't produce and keep its stars, which is why they're continuously up and down in those power rankings like a teeter-totter.

Keeping Sandy Alcantara for 2027 was the right move by the franchise and alone makes them a better team in the rankings. Alcantara will make $21 million next season after the Marlins exercised his club option, keeping him as the franchise ace for another season.

Alcanata has given his all to this franchise; it's time for the front office to find ways to add to the roster in free agency to at least give the Marlins a chance to be buyers at the MLB Trade Deadline next season.

Adding to the bullpen will be necessary for the franchise to improve. The offense is led by the likes of Otto Lopez, Xavier Edwards, Owen Caisse, Joe Mack and Kyle Stowers. Those are the up-and-comers to build around on offense, so long as the pitching staff gets some help.

Eury Perez is emerging as a potential ace for the pitching staff, which will enhance the team's standing among other franchises as he develops into a dominant star. However, Miami needs to find a way to improve its position now before it can truly consider him a future ace.

"I'm very proud of our team, our organization. I think there was tremendous progress shown on the field, off the field... We continue to really build on this foundation, taking meaningful steps forward in a lot of ways and at the same time we're angry, disappointed, not satisfied with where we are," President of Baseball Operations Peter Bendix said in his end-of-season press conference.

There was improvement in 2026, but 2027 has to be a leap rather than a jump for the Miami Marlins.