​The Miami Marlins, with the second-lowest payroll in baseball, entered the All-Star break in playoff position, occupying the final wildcard spot in the National League.Though they had a big finish last season, “The Fish” missed the playoffs. Few thought their young talent was ready to blossom into a playoff team. And nobody expected shortstop Otto Lopez and former first-round pick, pitcher, Max Meyer to emerge as 2026 All-Stars.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Marlins record stands at 52-45 – seven games over .500 boosted by a record-setting June in which they weaved a  20-6 record.The 52 wins is the second-most in Marlins history entering the break. They are 28-19 against teams with a winning record. Since June 1, the Marlins are 26-11, which is the most wins in baseball over that span.“You got to say I’m pleasantly surprised,” MLB Network stalwart Harold Reynolds told the Palm Beach Post from the Philadelphia Convention Center during All-Star festivities. “They collected a tremendous amount of young talent. You have to give credit where credit is due. They’ve done a tremendous job of putting themselves in position to be competitive. It is really something special.”Reynolds, who has been at MLB Network since its inception in 2009 and is covering his 17th ASG, thinks the Marlins and their juiced offense will be at the playoff doorstep the rest of the way despite their bad start.1 / 14ST LOUIS, MISSOURI – JUNE 26: Kyle Stowers #28 of the Miami Marlins reacts with teammates after defeating the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on June 26, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Jeff Le/Getty Images)(Jeff Le, Getty Images)MLB Draft Tracker: Follow every pick for players from FloridaAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“The younger players with their age and youth can go a little longer than some other teams,” Reynolds said. “I don’t think they’ve scratched the surface on what they’re capable of. I see them in the race the whole way. And look out if they get in the playoffs because they are a dangerous team.”As manager Clayton McCullough said of their playoff position, “We would’ve certainly signed up for it. We did play to a level that put ourselves in a good spot this many games in.On June 7, the Marlins were 31-35 and14 games back of the Atlanta Braves in the NL East. Now they are four games behind when the Marlins resume play Friday in Milwaukee.Here’s five reasons for the Marlins ascendancy under president Peter Bendix:AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMIAMI, FLORIDA – JULY 09: Otto Lopez #6 of the Miami Marlins runs the bases after hitting an RBI triple against the Seattle Mariners in the fourth inning of the game at loanDepot park on July 09, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)Two years ago, the Marlins picked up shortstop Otto Lopez on waivers after his release from San Francisco. The defensive middle infielder now is hitting with panache and has made his first All-Sta