"For all of those calling to replace him, it basically boils down to Lopez being guilty of the same sin every Marlins shortstop has been guilty of since 2011: not being peak Hanley Ramirez. And to be fair, Ramirez wasn't even that in 2011, leading in part to his being replaced at short by Jose Reyes for the 2012 campaign."
"Yet it would probably surprise most Marlins fans to know that Lopez has now done something Reyes never did during his time here, and is entering rare territory for Miami shortstops in the power department. Only three shortstops in franchise history have hit more home runs in a single season: Kurt Abbot, Alex Gonzalez, and Ramirez. That's it-that's the list."
"Edwards has firmly cemented himself as an offensive weapon, capable of challenging for both the batting and stolen base title. His absence from the 2026 Marlins roster would be among the more massive upsets of the offseason. Lopez, on the other hand? Staying at short, returning to second, being asked to try third, being sent to the bench - it feels like the average fan would view any fate that befalls him as all being equally likely."
Xavier Edwards and Otto Lopez present contrasting profiles for the Marlins at shortstop. Edwards has become a clear offensive weapon with batting and stolen-base upside and appears likely to remain with the club. Lopez has shown positional versatility and elite defense while entering rare power territory for Miami shortstops, surpassing historical marks not reached since Hanley Ramirez's better seasons. Fan impatience often stems from comparisons to past stars rather than objective performance. Lopez's offense is serviceable when paired with top-tier defense and lineup support. His value derives from defense, versatility, and unexpected power production.
Read at Marlin Maniac
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