Is it now or never?

A week ago, the Marlins were soaring. Now they limp home with their season potentially on the brink

(Photo: Associated Press)

After an 0-6 road trip dropped them from a season-high 14 games over .500 and the #1 Wild Card spot at the All-Star break to out of the playoffs altogether if the season ended today, the Marlins return home this weekend to begin what could be the most important week of their season.

With 3 at loanDepot park against Colorado this weekend, 2 at Tampa Bay next week, then 3 at home against Detroit next weekend, Miami’s next 8 games come against 2 teams (the Rockies and Tigers) that are a combined 31 games under .500 and a 3rd (the Rays) that has lost 11 of 14 and is just 31-32 after an ML-best 29-7 start.

I’ve written ad nauseam about the Marlins’ schedule being much tougher in the 2nd half of the season than the schedule against which they piled up a club-record 53 wins before the break. But the single toughest stretch of 2023 is on deck after these next 8 games.

Beginning July 31, the Marlins play 22 straight against a murderer’s row: 4 against the streaking Phillies; 3 against the AL West-leading Rangers; 3 against the young, dynamic Reds; 3 against the Yankees; 3 against the defending champion Astros; 3 against the NL West-leading Dodgers; and 3 against the big-spending Padres.

After a brief respite of 7 games against the lowly Nationals and 2 against the struggling (but still very dangerous) Rays, they’ll then play 16 of their next 19 against teams that are currently in playoff position: 3 more against the scalding-hot Dodgers, 3 against the Wild Card Phillies, 7 against the NL Central-leading Brewers and 3 against the ML-best Braves.

From July 31 through September 24, they’ll play 32 of 50 games against teams that are currently in playoff position.

It’s a stretch every bit as challenging as their 50 games from May 5-June 29 that I started talking about April 21 were a lay-up. They went 32-18 in that span. They’re now 21-27 outside of those 7 weeks.

The Marlins desperately need to pile up wins against the Rockies and Tigers the next 2 weekends and to hold their own against the Rays.

They may still find their way into the playoffs for the first time in a full season since 2003, but their path looks significantly tougher today than it did even a week ago.

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ARE YOU HAVING SECOND THOUGHTS?

I asked this question last week, and 79 percent of you answered with a resounding “YES!”

What do you say today?