The Miami Marlins have been the best team in baseball for over a month now, as they have gone 25-8 over since June 1 and now hold a Wild Card spot in the National League. They are also just three games behind the Atlanta Braves for first place in the NL East.
However, on Wednesday night, the Marlins were dealt a tough injury blow, as outfielder Owen Caissie exited their win over the Seattle Mariners early due to calf tightness.
Now, Caissie will be heading to the 10-day injured list, and as a corresponding move, Miami has promoted outfielder Reece Hinds, via Christina De Nicola of MLB.com.
The Marlins acquired Caissie in a trade with the Chicago Cubs over the winter, a deal in which Miami sent pitcher Edward Cabrera to Chicago.
Caissie was a top prospect with the Cubs and was immediately handed a starting job out of the gate for the Fish in 2026.
The 24-year-old struggled early on, slashing .207/.250/.345 between March and April, but he has since caught fire. Caissie posted an .835 OPS in May and an .865 OPS in June. He also owned a .959 OPS through six July contests before going down with the injury.
On the season overall, Caissie is slashing .239/.297/.459 with 12 home runs and 50 RBI over 246 plate appearances. He is batting an impressive .317 with runners in scoring position, owning a .968 OPS in those situations. What’s more, Caissie is slashing .367/.405/.767 in high-leverage spots.
The Marlins’ offense has been among the best in baseball over the last month-plus, boasting an .833 OPS since June 1. The only club ahead of them is the Colorado Rockies, who have the benefit of playing at Coors Field.
Based on how well Miami has been playing as a whole, it should absolutely be able to manage with Caissie on the IL for a short period of time, but there is no question that the Fish will miss his power.
The Marlins are aiming to make their third playoff appearance since 2020, which had actually marked their first trip to the postseason since winning the World Series in 2003.
We’ll see if Miami can continue its surge the rest of the way.
