Trust the Read: A Closer Look at the Marlins’ Game-Saving Double Play

In a game that often hinges on inches and instinct, the difference between a win and a loss comes down to how a team handles pressure-packed moments. One of the clearest examples came in Friday’s Marlins-Diamondbacks game — a situation that showcased the razor-thin margin for error when a team chooses to bring the infield in and still goes for the double play.

Bottom of the 9th. First and third. One out.

The Marlins positioned the infield in — or perhaps halfway — to stop the go-ahead run on a contact play. The typical thinking in that setup? Prioritize cutting off the run at the plate. A slow roller or chopper forces a throw home; don’t risk trying to turn two and potentially giving the game away.

But what do you do when the ball is hit hard?

This is where well-coached teams separate themselves. Many teams teach a simple but often overlooked concept: react to the pace of the ball. If it’s hit softly, come home or get one out at 1st base. If it’s hit hard, especially directly at a middle infielder trust your training and go for two.

That’s exactly what the Marlins did.

Second baseman Xavier Edwards, playing in, fielded a sharply hit grounder and made an immediate — and aggressive — decision: start the double play. It’s a move that only works if the rest of the infield is tuned in and responding with the same read.

And they were.

Shortstop Otto Lopez didn’t hesitate. Despite being positioned in, he beats the runner to second and executed a clean turn. Edwards made a firm, accurate flip. The Marlins got two. Game over. One-run win. Not just a good result a product of smart, situational execution.

It rarely happens this cleanly. Not in this kind of moment.

This is situational baseball at its finest players recognizing that infield depth is just one variable, and that the pace of the ball can change the equation in real time. The Marlins responded to it with clarity.

Coaching Takeaways:

Teach Situational Flexibility, Not Just Positioning
Playing infield in doesn’t mean you’re locked into one outcome. Players should be trained to recognize the pace of the ball and adjust their plan in real time.

Reinforce “React to the Pace” in Practice
This isn’t instinct. It’s a skill. The Marlins didn’t flinch because they’d likely repped this — hard-hit ball while infield is up, what’s the decision tree?

Execution Only Happens with Alignment
Edwards made the read, but Lopez trusted it. That’s not luck. That’s internal team communication built through reps and trust.

Build This Into Your Double Play Routine
Don’t just talk about it — rep it. Carve out time during your field work for this exact situation: infield-in or halfway depth, live off the bat or fungo, players read the ball’s pace and decide. Give them the freedom to rehearse the judgment, not just the motion. The more they practice reacting to these fringe scenarios, the more natural the execution becomes in the heat of a real game.

Preparation Wins Close Games
This wasn’t a flashy play. It was clean, direct, and confident. The kind of thing you only pull off when you've prepared for it well before the lights go on.

The Marlins trusted their players to make the right read, and the players responded with clarity and conviction. It’s the kind of execution we all want as coaches not just because it worked, but because it came from thinking players trained to act decisively.

That’s what good coaching looks like. That’s what turns game plans into wins.