Pirates, Marlins eliminated from postseason contention
With a 12-3 win over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday at AT&T Park, the San Francisco Giants officially put the wild-card out of reach for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Miami Marlins, eliminating both teams from postseason contention.
After qualifying for the playoffs in each of the past three seasons, the Pirates took a step back in 2016 amid inconsistency in their rotation and regression from several key position players, including former All-Star Josh Harrison and 2013 National League MVP Andrew McCutchen.
With five games left in the regular season, the Pirates own a -19 run differential and remain one of just three teams in the majors without a player with at least 25 home runs.
For the Marlins, even though they haven't made the playoffs since winning the World Series in 2003, missing the cut may not sting as much, as the club is still reeling from the tragic death of ace right-hander Jose Fernandez, who died along with two friends in a boating accident Sunday morning.