2003 NL Division Title – 95–67

Lore & Background

The franchise began play as an expansion team in the 1993 season as the Florida Marlins. The Marlins originally played home games at Joe Robbie Stadium, which they shared with the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). In 2012, the team moved to LoanDepot Park (then known as Marlins Park), their first exclusive home designed for baseball. As part of an agreement with the park owner, Miami-Dade County, to use the stadium, the franchise changed its name to the Miami Marlins prior to the 2012 season.

With a record of (), the Marlins have the second lowest winning percentage and fewest postseason appearances (four) among active MLB franchises. Despite this, the Marlins won the World Series during their first two playoff runs in 1997 and 2003. Jeff Conine (an inaugural member of the franchise) was the only player to appear for the Marlins in the World Series in both of their championship seasons. All four of their playoff appearances came as wild card teams, making them one of two MLB franchises (along with the Colorado Rockies) to have never won a division title, as well as the only franchise to have never appeared in back-to-back postseasons.

The Marlins were the first team to win the World Series as a wild card. The franchise's only retired number is Jackie Robinson's universally retired #42. However, #16 has been out of circulation since the death of José Fernández in 2016.

Reader's Guide

The 2003 Marlins did not win a division title; they captured the NL wild card. In the 2003 World Series, the Marlins defeated the heavily favored New York Yankees in six games, winning the sixth game in Yankee Stadium. Shortstop Álex González helped the Marlins win Game 4 of the series with a walk-off home run in extra innings. Josh Beckett was named the Most Valuable Player for the series after twirling a five-hit complete-game shutout in Game 6. Skipper Jack McKeon became the oldest manager ever to win a World Series title.