One of the most fascinating people to rank on a list of all-time Marlins is Liván Hernández, the star of the 1997 Playoffs.
Liván Hernández arrived in South Florida in 1996 as a figure of immense political and athletic intrigue, having defected from Cuba just a year earlier. While he possessed a high-velocity arm and a signature "slow" curveball, his residency in Miami was ultimately defined by a singular, lightning-strike October that transformed him from a rookie prospect into a postseason immortal.
After a solid 1997 regular season with a 9-3 record and a 3.18 ERA, Hernández reached a career highlight in the playoffs. He delivered one of the franchise's most memorable performances in Game 5 of the NLCS, striking out a record 15 Atlanta Braves in a complete-game performance. This achievement earned him the NLCS MVP award, but he continued to excel. Hernández demonstrated complete command during the Fall Classic, winning two additional games against Cleveland to secure the World Series MVP, becoming only the fourth player to earn both honors in the same season.
Following a grueling 1998 campaign in which he logged a career-high 234.1 innings, Hernández’s efficiency began to waver, and the organization finalized a trade sending him to the San Francisco Giants in July of 1999. Hernandez would have greater individual success with the Expos/Nationals, representing them in the All-Star Game twice. As a Marlin, Hernandez had a record of 24-24, with a 4.39 ERA and 333 Strikeouts. Notably, he was also an excellent defensive player and an above-average hitting Pitcher, accumulating 35 Hits with a .222 Batting Average for the team.
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