Miami Marlins facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Miami Marlins
2025 Miami Marlins season
Established in 1993
Team logo Cap insignia
Major league affiliations
National League (1993–present) East Division (1993–present)
Current uniform
Retired numbers	42
Colors
Midnight black, Miami blue, Caliente red, Slate grey
Name
Miami Marlins (2012–present) Florida Marlins (1993–2011)
Other nicknames
The Fish
Ballpark
LoanDepot Park (2012–present) Sun Life Stadium (1993–2011)
Major league titles
World Series titles (2)	1997 2003
NL Pennants (2)	1997 2003
East Division titles (0)	None
Wild card berths (4)	1997 2003 2020 2023
Front office
Principal owner(s)	Bruce Sherman
President	Caroline O'Connor (President of Business Operations)
President of baseball operations	Peter Bendix
General manager	Peter Bendix
Manager	Clayton McCullough

The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team from Miami, USA. They play in Major League Baseball (MLB). The team is part of the National League (NL) East Division. Their home games are played at LoanDepot Park.

The team started in 1993 as the Florida Marlins. They were an expansion team. At first, they shared Joe Robbie Stadium with the Miami Dolphins football team. In 2012, the team moved to LoanDepot Park. This was their first stadium built just for baseball. To use the new stadium, they changed their name to the Miami Marlins. This happened before the 2012 season.

The Marlins have won the World Series twice. They won in 1997 and 2003. These wins happened during their first two times in the playoffs. Only three players were on both World Series teams: Jeff Conine, Luis Castillo, and Rick Helling. All four of their playoff appearances have been as wild card teams. This means they have never won their division. They were the first team to win the World Series as a wild card. The team has not retired any player numbers, except for Jackie Robinson's #42, which is retired across all of MLB.

Team History and Beginnings

Hall of Famer, Satchel Paige pitched for the minor league Miami Marlins from 1956 to 1958.

The Marlins team was started by Wayne Huizenga. He was the CEO of Blockbuster Entertainment. He paid $95 million to create the team. The team began playing in 1993 as the Florida Marlins. The name "Marlins" came from older minor league teams in Miami.

The Marlins' first manager was Rene Lachemann. He used to be a catcher. The team picked its first players in the 1992 MLB Expansion Draft. The Marlins won their first game on April 5, 1993, against the Dodgers. Charlie Hough was the starting pitcher. Jeff Conine was a fan favorite. He was even called "Mr. Marlin." The team finished the year with good attendance.

First World Series Win in 1997

After a good season in 1996, Jim Leyland became the manager in 1997. In 1997, the Marlins finished second in their division. But they earned a spot in the playoffs as a wild card team. They had experienced players like Moisés Alou and Bobby Bonilla. Young stars like Luis Castillo and Édgar Rentería also helped.

The Marlins won against the San Francisco Giants in the first round. Then they beat the Atlanta Braves in the next round. Rookie pitcher Liván Hernández played a big role in one game. The Marlins then faced the Cleveland Indians in the 1997 World Series. They won in seven games. In the final game, Édgar Rentería hit a game-winning single in the 11th inning. This brought home the winning run.

Second World Series Victory in 2003

Manager Jack McKeon met President George W. Bush after the Marlins won the 2003 World Series.

In 2003, the Marlins brought up young players like Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera. These players were very important for the team. They also got experienced players like Jeff Conine and Iván Rodríguez. These additions helped the team stay in the race. They finished second in their division again. This earned them another NL wild card spot.

On October 15, 2003, the Marlins beat the Chicago Cubs in the 2003 National League Championship Series. They came back from being down 3-1 in the series. In Game 6, a fan interfered with a play. This led to a big Marlins rally. The Marlins won that game and then Game 7. This helped them win their second NL pennant.

In the 2003 World Series, the Marlins played the New York Yankees. The Yankees were expected to win. But the Marlins won in six games. They won the final game at Yankee Stadium. Josh Beckett was named the Most Valuable Player of the series. He pitched a complete game shutout in Game 6. Manager Jack McKeon became the oldest manager to win a World Series.

Miami Marlins Era: 2012 to Present

The Miami Marlins' main logo from 2012 to 2018.

In 2012, the team moved to Marlins Park in downtown Miami. This stadium is now called LoanDepot Park. With the move, the team changed its name to the Miami Marlins. They also got a new logo and colors. In 2017, Giancarlo Stanton won the National League MVP award. He was the first Marlin to win this award.

In the 2020 shortened season, the Marlins made the playoffs. They swept the Chicago Cubs in the Wild Card Series. They then lost to the Atlanta Braves. On November 13, 2020, Kim Ng became the team's general manager. She was the first woman to hold such a high executive position in any major American sports league. She was also MLB's first Asian American general manager. In 2023, the Marlins made the playoffs again. This made Kim Ng the first woman GM to lead a playoff team in MLB history.

Team Uniforms Through the Years

Early Years: 1993–2002

The Florida Marlins started with three different uniforms. Their main colors were teal and black. The home uniforms had "Marlins" written in teal with black trim. The road uniforms had "Florida" with a marlin design. They wore caps with an "F" and a leaping marlin. Over time, teal was used less, and black became more important.

Benito Santiago and Florida Governor Lawton Chiles (left) in the original home uniform with teal caps; Lyle Mouton, Billy the Marlin and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Mel Martínez (right) in the original home uniform with black caps.

Mid-Years: 2003–2011

New uniforms were introduced before the 2003 World Series win. Black became the main color for letters and pinstripes. Teal was used as an accent. Silver was also added. They had a black alternate uniform with "Marlins" in silver. In 2010, the road uniforms changed from "Florida" to "Marlins."

Kyle Skipworth (left) in the 2003–2011 home uniform; Chris Coghlan (2nd from left) in the 2003–2009 road uniform; Giancarlo Stanton (2nd from right) in the 2010–2011 road uniform; Dan Uggla (right) in the 2003–2011 black alternate uniform.

Miami Era: 2012–2018

When the team became the Miami Marlins, they got new colors: orange, black, and blue. The new "M" logo had orange, yellow, and sky blue. This logo was on their caps and sleeves. The uniforms had "Miami" on the front. They had black, white, and orange alternate uniforms.

Giancarlo Stanton (left) in the 2012–2018 home uniform; Mat Latos (2nd from left) in the 2012–2018 road uniform; Wei-Yin Chen (2nd from right) in the 2012–2018 black alternate uniform; José Fernández (right) in the 2012–2018 orange alternate uniform.

Current Uniforms: 2019–Present

The Marlins updated their logos and colors again in 2019. They now use Caliente red, Miami blue, and slate grey. Home and road uniforms have "Miami" in black with red and blue accents. The black alternate uniform has "Marlins" in black with red and blue. The cap logo is a stylized "M" with a more realistic marlin.

In 2021, they released a special "City Connect" uniform. It was red with Miami blue trim. This uniform honored the Cuban Sugar Kings. In 2024, they updated their black alternate uniform. They also added a new Miami blue alternate uniform. In 2025, they released a second "City Connect" uniform. It is black with teal and pink accents. This uniform celebrates Miami's bright skyline and the original Florida Marlins look.

Anthony Bass (left) in the home uniform; Dylan Floro (middle) in the road uniform; Edward Cabrera (right) in the 2019–2023 black alternate uniform

Team Rivalries

Citrus Series Rivalry

The Marlins have a local rivalry with the Tampa Bay Rays. This is called the "Citrus Series." The Rays are currently ahead in this series.

World Series Championships

The Marlins won the World Series in 1997 and 2003. After both wins, the team sold off many high-paid players. This led to rebuilding periods. Between 2003 and 2019, these two World Series wins were their only playoff appearances. The Marlins have made the playoffs three times and had seven winning seasons. This is the fewest among MLB teams.

Even though they have never won a division title, the Florida Marlins are the only team to make the playoffs and win a World Series in their first two winning seasons.

Team Achievements and Awards

No-Hitters Pitched

Marlins pitchers have thrown six no-hitters in regular-season games. A no-hitter is when a pitcher completes a game without allowing any opposing player to get a hit.

Hitting for the Cycle

Two Marlins players have hit for the cycle. This means they got a single, double, triple, and home run all in the same game.

Retired Numbers

Jackie Robinson All MLB Honored April 15, 1997

The Marlins do not have any numbers retired for their own players. However, Jackie Robinson's number 42 is retired across all of Major League Baseball. From 1993 to 2011, the Marlins had retired number 5 for Carl Barger. He was the team's first president. His favorite player was Joe DiMaggio, who wore number 5. When the team moved to LoanDepot Park, they honored Barger with a plaque instead. Number 5 is now used by players again.

After José Fernández passed away in 2016, the Marlins built a memorial for him at LoanDepot Park. His number 16 is displayed there and is not currently used by any player.

Baseball Hall of Famers

Several players who played for the Marlins are in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Ford C. Frick Award Winners

This award honors baseball broadcasters.

Florida Sports Hall of Fame

Gary Sheffield

Some Marlins players and staff are in the Florida Sports Hall of Fame.

Marlins Legends Hall of Fame

The Marlins started their own Legends Hall of Fame in 2025. It honors players, coaches, managers, and staff who made big contributions. The first group of members was inducted in 2025. Jeff Conine was the first to be inducted on March 30, 2025.

Key

Year	Year inducted
Bold	Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame
	Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame as a Marlin
Bold	Recipient of the Hall of Fame's Ford C. Frick Award

Minor League Teams

The Miami Marlins have several minor league teams. These teams help develop new players for the main MLB team.

Broadcasting and Media

The Marlins' games are broadcast on radio and television. Their main radio station for many years was WQAM 560 AM. Now, WAXY 790 AM broadcasts their games. Dave Van Horne, a longtime baseball announcer, won an award for his broadcasting in 2010. Games are also broadcast in Spanish on Radio Mambi 710 AM. Felo Ramírez, another award-winning announcer, called games there for many years.

Marlins games are shown on Bally Sports Florida. Paul Severino is the play-by-play announcer. He works with former players like Tommy Hutton and Gaby Sánchez.

Team Culture and Fan Experience

Marlins Mermaids on June 19, 2009

In the movie Back to the Future Part II, it was joked that the Chicago Cubs would beat a Miami baseball team in the 2015 World Series. This was just a movie prediction. In reality, the Cubs and Marlins are in the same league, so they can't play each other in the World Series.

The Marlins were the first MLB team to have a dance/cheer team. They were called the "Marlins Mermaids" and started in 2003. This inspired other teams to create their own dance squads. In 2008, the Marlins also started "The Marlins Manatees," an all-male dance group. Since 2012, the Marlins have used a co-ed "energy squad" for entertainment. The Mermaids returned in 2019.

The Marlins have had official team songs over the years. Artists like Pitbull and DJ Khaled have performed them. In 2010, Scott Stapp from the band Creed wrote their anthem, "Marlins Will Soar." In 2022, the Marlins created "Sandy's Beach" at LoanDepot Park. This is a special cheering section for fans of pitcher Sandy Alcantara. Fans in this section wear beach-themed clothes to support him.

Team Performance: Best and Worst Seasons

Best Seasons in Marlins History

Here are some of the Marlins' most successful seasons:

Worst Seasons in Marlins History

These are some of the Marlins' toughest seasons:

Home Game Attendance

The Marlins' former home at what was then Dolphin Stadium was primarily a football stadium (1993–2011).

First pitch at LoanDepot Park, home of the Miami Marlins, which held its first Major League game on April 4, 2012.

The Marlins' attendance has varied over the years. In their first few years, many fans came to games. However, for much of their history, they have been one of the teams with the lowest attendance in the league. Even after moving to LoanDepot Park in 2012, attendance was only average at first.

Images for kids

See also

In Spanish: Miami Marlins para niños