Marlins back in playoffs for 1st time since ’03

The Marlins and their frustrated fan base have waited 17 years to return to the postseason. On Friday night at Yankee Stadium, they were rewarded for their patience in extra innings. Jesús Aguilar lifted a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning that carried the Marlins to a 4-3 victory over

The Marlins and their frustrated fan base have waited 17 years to return to the postseason. On Friday night at Yankee Stadium, they were rewarded for their patience in extra innings.

Jesús Aguilar lifted a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning that carried the Marlins to a 4-3 victory over the Yankees and secured the franchise’s first playoff berth since winning the World Series in 2003.

The Marlins (30-28) clinched second place in the National League East because of their win on Friday, coupled with the Rays defeating the Phillies (28-30). The Marlins own the tiebreaker over the Phillies.

The Marlins capitalized in the 10th inning after the Yankees were unable to get Monte Harrison out in a rundown between third and home on Starling Marte’s one-out grounder to short.

With the bases full in the bottom of the 10th, Brandon Kintzler got DJ LeMahieu to bounce to shortstop Miguel Rojas for the game-ending double play.

On the field, the players celebrated, sporting “Respect Miami” T-shirts and 2020 postseason caps. The 16-year playoff drought was the longest in the National League and second longest in the Majors, only to the Mariners, who last reached the playoffs in 2001.

One of MLB’s surprise teams in this 60-game shortened season, the Marlins are headed to the playoffs after finishing 57-105 a year ago. The turnaround comes in the third season of the ownership group led by Bruce Sherman and chief executive officer Derek Jeter.

The improbable playoff run was achieved after 18 players tested positive for COVID-19 in the first week of the season.

Miami’s win on Friday came on the sixth anniversary of Jeter’s final game in pinstripes in 2014, when he delivered a walk-off hit.

The playoff berth also comes on the four-year anniversary of José Fernández’s death in a boating accident. Don Mattingly, a likely National League Manager of the Year Award frontrunner, choked up while reminding everyone of the emotions the organization went through four years ago on this day.

Joe Frisaro has covered the Marlins for MLB.com since 2002. Follow him on Twitter @JoeFrisaro and listen to his podcast.