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Quebec native Otto Lopez is truly having a stellar season. His impressive performance has made him the talk of the baseball world. It's no surprise he received an All-Star Game invitation—he even recorded a hit there while the rest of his All-Star teammates came up empty.
After a brief stint with the Toronto Blue Jays organization during the 2021 and 2022 seasons, Lopez seems to have truly found his niche under the hot Florida sun. And it may be precisely that blazing sun that's allowing him to thrive with the Marlins! Although he hasn't been with the organization for very long, he ranks 13th in club history in WAR among position players. He has accumulated a total of 11.8 WAR over the past three seasons. The next player within his reach is none other than Gary Sheffield, with a WAR of 13.2.
It took Otto Lopez less than three full seasons to join the elite.
He ranks 13th in Marlins history with 11.8 bWAR as a position player, having just passed Charles Johnson. The only shortstop ahead of him is Hanley Ramírez.
With a hot September, he could catch up to Gary Sheffield
pic.twitter.com/hxyNCd0JM6
— Fish On First (@FishOnFirst) August 30, 2026
In His Prime
At 27 years old, he is currently in his prime, as the saying goes. The Miami Marlins are in the thick of the playoff race, and they would never be in this position without the contribution of their shortstop. At one point in the season, he was leading the National League in batting average. He was even being talked about as a possible MVP candidate. A baseball season is long, and Lopez has slowed down a bit, but it's a credit to him that he was even in the conversation. He's undoubtedly the best Quebec player in Major League Baseball this year, far ahead of Vladimir Guerrero Jr.!
Otto Lopez hits a home run, and the @Marlins have stunned the Nationals with a 6-run 9th
pic.twitter.com/r4vzfZg6Aw
— MLB (@MLB) August 30, 2026
Let's get back to the list
It's still crazy to see all the big names who've played in Florida! Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich, Miguel Cabrera—to name just those three. We're talking about MVP-caliber players. The Florida/Miami Marlins could have been a baseball dynasty if they'd been managed better. But hey, it starts at the top, as they say, and Jeffrey Loria was in charge from 2002 to 2017. Then there was Derek Jeter's stint—he was supposed to be the savior but walked out the door in 2022 amid what seemed like a total mess.
In fact, the problem with the Marlins has always been money. They develop talent well, but refuse to pay their players. As a result, they're constantly having to start the rebuilding process all over again. It's a sad reminder of the Montreal Expos—except that they, at least, don't have a stadium problem!
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