The Miami Marlins are going into an offseason with question marks but plenty of solutions. As the World Series is progressing, it begs the question: How can the Marlins take notes from the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays? Both are small- or low-mid market teams compared to the Marlins, so the model should be similar.

The good news for the Marlins is that President of Baseball Operations Peter Bendix has done a good job so far rebuilding the organization. This allows him to take a page from the Brewers or Rays when putting the finishing touches on the roster.

1. Offensive Design

Most of the offensive side of the roster is returning in 2026, and with the amount of young talent the Marlins have, they should see an improvement on the offense. The good news is the Marlins have a similar profile to the Brewers and Rays. But one thing needs to be embraced, and that is slug.

In 2026, the Marlins ranked 16th in baseball in slugging percentage, sitting at .400 on the season, league average. That's a good thing. What's not a good thing is that the Marlins ranked 23rd in team home runs with 168. Home runs are how you win games, and we've seen that this postseason with the Brewers. They've used the long ball to their advantage, and so far, it's paid off.

Having guys in the lineup that are more contact-oriented is a good thing as well. Getting on base is essential if you're going to rely on slug because it creates traffic on the bases which leads to more RBI opportunities, and eventually, more RBI production.

2. Bullpen Strength

The reason the Brewers have been so successful this postseason as been their bullpen. Coming into the postseason, they had players who were never household names. Now, people will be debating if Aaron Ashby is a top 10 reliever in the sport. The Marlins bullpen struggled in 2026 to keep games close, posting a 4.10 ERA, ranking 19th in the sport. The struggles and injury of Pete Fairbanks, the team's closer, for most of the season was among the reasons why.

This offseason, the Marlins need to do two things when it comes to the bullpen. The first is to make savvy additions that the player development team can work on. With the lockout coming, the Marlins might not shop at for the top relievers in the sport, so developing players on the margins is essential. The second is to develop their own pitchers and bring them to the next level, like helping Victor Vodnik find his stuff away from Coors Field. He's the perfect candidate for improvement.

The path is there for the Marlins to take the next step and take a page from the Brewers or Rays.