The 1996 Florida Marlins season was the fourth season for the Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise in the National League. It would begin with the team attempting to improve on their season from 1995. Their managers were Rene Lachemann, Cookie Rojas, and John Boles. They played home games in Miami Gardens, Florida. They finished with a record of 80 wins and 82 losses, third place in the National League East.
The Marlins home ballpark at the time had been known as Joe Robbie Stadium since its opening. However, in the middle of the 1996 season, the Miami Dolphins, who controlled the stadium, sold naming rights to Pro Player by Fruit of the Loom.
Thus, in the middle of the Marlins season on August 26, Joe Robbie Stadium was renamed Pro Player Park. On September 10, after the Dolphins home opener and still before the end of baseball season, the park was renamed Pro Player Stadium, a name which remained though the 2004 season.
Offseason October 8, 1995: Scott Podsednik was sent by the Texas Rangers to the Florida Marlins to complete an earlier deal made on August 8, 1995. The Texas Rangers sent players to be named later to the Florida Marlins for Bobby Witt. The Texas Rangers sent Wilson Heredia (August 11, 1995) and Scott Podsednik (October 8, 1995) to the Florida Marlins to complete the trade.Scott Podsednik Statistics Baseball-Reference.com November 21, 1995: Devon White signed as a free agent with the Florida Marlins.Devon White Statistics Baseball-Reference.com December 13, 1995: Mark Davis was signed as a free agent with the Florida Marlins. December 22, 1995: Craig Grebeck was signed as a free agent with the Florida Marlins. January 5, 1996: Andre Dawson was signed as a free agent with the Florida Marlins.Andre Dawson Statistics Baseball-Reference.com January 23, 1996: Aaron Small was selected off waivers by the Seattle Mariners from the Florida Marlins. March 23, 1996: Mark Davis was released by the Florida Marlins.
Regular season On May 11, 1996, Al Leiter threw the first no-hitter in Florida Marlins history. The Marlins beat the Rockies by a score of 11–0.Great Baseball Feats, Facts and Figures, 2008 Edition, p.143, David Nemec and Scott Flatow, A Signet Book, Penguin Group, New York,
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
Game log
|- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 1 || April 1 || Pirates || 0–4 || Wagner || Brown (0–1) || — || 41,815 || 0–1 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 2 || April 2 || Pirates || 1–4 || Christiansen || Pena (0–1) || Miceli || 20,243 || 0–2 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 3 || April 4 || Pirates || 6–2 || Leiter (1–0) || Ericks || — || 19,008 || 1–2 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 4 || April 5 || Giants || 1–7 || Fernandez || Rapp (0–1) || — || 24,769 || 1–3 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 5 || April 6 || Giants || 1–0 (10) || Nen (1–0) || Dewey || — || 34,002 || 2–3 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 6 || April 7 || Giants || 7–14 || Bourgeois || Burkett (0–1) || — || 19,842 || 2–4 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 7 || April 8 || @ Padres || 2–9 || Hamilton || Hammond (0–1) || — || 44,470 || 2–5 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 8 || April 9 || @ Padres || 5–2 (10) || Leiter (2–0) || Blair || — || 15,160 || 3–5 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 9 || April 10 || @ Padres || 0–3 || Tewksbury || Rapp (0–2) || Hoffman || 10,510 || 3–6 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 10 || April 11 || @ Dodgers || 0–5 || Park || Brown (0–2) || Worrell || 36,023 || 3–7 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 11 || April 12 || @ Dodgers || 3–1 || Burkett (1–1) || Valdez || — || 40,343 || 4–7 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 12 || April 13 || @ Dodgers || 1–3 || Nomo || Hammond (0–2) || — || 46,059 || 4–8 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 13 || April 14 || @ Dodgers || 1–6 || Astacio || Leiter (2–1) || — || 49,728 || 4–9 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 14 || April 16 || @ Braves || 2–5 || Avery || Brown (0–3) || Wohlers || 26,625 || 4–10 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 15 || April 17 || @ Braves || 2–4 || Maddux || Burkett (1–2) || Wohlers || 28,884 || 4–11 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 16 || April 18 || @ Braves || 5–3 || Hammond (1–2) || Glavine || Nen (1) || 25,300 || 5–11 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 17 || April 19 || Dodgers || 5–0 || Powell (1–0) || Hall || — || 24,143 || 6–11 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 18 || April 20 || Dodgers || 7–4 || Leiter (3–1) || Nomo || Nen (2) || 35,542 || 7–11 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 19 || April 21 || Dodgers || 5–4 || Brown (1–3) || Hall || Mathews (1) || 23,842 || 8–11 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 20 || April 22 || Padres || 3–5 || Ashby || Burkett (1–3) || — || 17,473 || 8–12 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 21 || April 23 || Padres || 2–7 || Bergman || Hammond (1–3) || — || 19,667 || 8–13 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 22 || April 24 || @ Pirates || 3–6 || Neagle || Rapp (0–3) || — || 9,812 || 8–14 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 23 || April 25 || @ Pirates || 4–1 || Leiter (4–1) || Hope || Nen (3) || 8,315 || 9–14 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 24 || April 26 || @ Giants || 3–0 || Brown (2–3) || Fernandez || — || 12,461 || 10–14 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 25 || April 27 || @ Giants || 3–6 || Leiter || Burkett (1–4) || Beck || 15,711 || 10–15 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 26 || April 28 || @ Giants || 4–10 || VanLandingham || Hammond (1–4) || — || 23,535 || 10–16 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 27 || April 30 || Phillies || 7–2 || Rapp (1–3) || Williams || Nen (4) || 15,252 || 11–16
|- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 28 || May 1 || Phillies || 5–6 || Ryan || Leiter (4–2) || Bottalico || 14,672 || 11–17 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 29 || May 2 || Phillies || 0–2 || Grace || Brown (2–4) || Bottalico || 14,888 || 11–18 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 30 || May 3 || @ Rockies || 5–9 || Reynoso || Burkett (1–5) || — || 48,129 || 11–19 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 31 || May 4 || @ Rockies || 5–17 || Freeman || Hammond (1–5) || — || 48,101 || 11–20 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 32 || May 5 || @ Rockies || 4–5 || Ritz || Perez (0–1) || — || 48,134 || 11–21 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 33 || May 6 || Mets || 4–1 || Leiter (5–2) || Clark || Nen (5) || 16,819 || 12–21 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 34 || May 7 || Mets || 3–2 || Hammond (2–5) || Isringhausen || Nen (6) || 20,127 || 13–21 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 35 || May 8 || Mets || 6–3 || Perez (1–1) || Henry || Nen (7) || 21,357 || 14–21 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 36 || May 9 || Rockies || 6–2 || Miller (1–0) || Freeman || — || 21,008 || 15–21 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 37 || May 10 || Rockies || 4–2 || Rapp (2–3) || Ritz || Nen (8) || 27,309 || 16–21 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 38 || May 11 || Rockies || 11–0 || Leiter (6–2) || Thompson || — || 31,549 || 17–21 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 39 || May 12 || Rockies || 7–5 || Nen (2–0) || Leskanic || — || 21,058 || 18–21 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 40 || May 13 || Cardinals || 5–2 || Burkett (2–5) || Benes || Powell (1) || 19,227 || 19–21 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 41 || May 14 || Cardinals || 11–5 || Mathews (1–0) || Parrett || — || 16,070 || 20–21 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 42 || May 15 || Cardinals || 0–6 || Stottlemyre || Rapp (2–4) || — || 18,066 || 20–22 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 43 || May 17 || @ Cubs || 1–3 || Bullinger || Leiter (6–3) || Wendell || 32,528 || 20–23 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 44 || May 18 || @ Cubs || 3–2 || Burkett (3–5) || Trachsel || Nen (9) || 38,003 || 21–23 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 45 || May 19 || @ Cubs || 8–7 (11) || Mantei (1–0) || Wendell || Nen (10) || 30,420 || 22–23 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 46 || May 20 || @ Reds || 5–3 || Rapp (3–4) || Burba || Nen (11) || 18,023 || 23–23 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 47 || May 21 || @ Reds || 3–2 || Weathers (1–0) || Salkeld || Mathews (2) || 19,534 || 24–23 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 48 || May 22 || @ Reds || 1–4 || Smiley || Leiter (6–4) || Brantley || 22,055 || 24–24 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 49 || May 24 || Cardinals || 2–4 || Morgan || Burkett (3–6) || Mathews || 19,583 || 24–25 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 50 || May 25 || Cardinals || 0–5 || Benes || Rapp (3–5) || — || 26,312 || 24–26 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 51 || May 26 || Cardinals || 8–2 (7) || Weathers (2–0) || Osborne || — || 20,573 || 25–26 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 52 || May 27 || Reds || 6–2 || Leiter (7–4) || Smiley || — || 15,919 || 26–26 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 53 || May 28 || Reds || 6–2 || Brown (3–4) || Burba || Mathews (4) || 14,052 || 27–26 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 54 || May 31 || Cubs || 1–2 || Navarro || Rapp (3–6) || — || 19,552 || 27–27
|- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 55 || June 1 || Cubs || 4–5 (10) || Wendell || Mathews (1–1) || — || 30,133 || 27–28 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 56 || June 2 || Cubs || 3–2 || Brown (4–4) || Telemaco || Nen (12) || 22,174 || 28–28 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 57 || June 4 || Expos || 5–0 || Burkett (4–6) || Rueter || — || 14,821 || 29–28 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 58 || June 5 || Expos || 1–2 || Cormier || Rapp (3–7) || Veres || 21,342 || 29–29 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 59 || June 7 || @ Mets || 12–2 || Leiter (8–4) || Harnisch || — || 13,009 || 30–29 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 60 || June 8 || @ Mets || 6–7 || Clark || Weathers (2–1) || Franco || 22,550 || 30–30 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 61 || June 9 || @ Mets || 0–3 || Isringhausen || Burkett (4–7) || — || 40,707 || 30–31 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 62 || June 10 || @ Expos || 5–2 || Nen (3–0) || Dyer || — || 34,867 || 31–31 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 63 || June 11 || @ Expos || 2–3 || Scott || Brown (4–5) || Veres || 10,758 || 31–32 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 64 || June 12 || @ Expos || 0–8 || Fassero || Leiter (8–5) || — || 12,341 || 31–33 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 65 || June 13 || @ Pirates || 4–3 || Perez (2–1) || Cordova || Nen (13) || 15,083 || 32–33 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 66 || June 14 || @ Pirates || 4–5 || Plesac || Nen (3–1) || — || 26,494 || 32–34 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 67 || June 15 || @ Pirates || 8–12 || Darwin || Rapp (3–8) || — || 15,596 || 32–35 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 68 || June 16 || @ Pirates || 4–2 || Brown (5–5) || Neagle || Nen (14) || 28,120 || 33–35 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 69 || June 17 || @ Giants || 0–1 || Fernandez || Leiter (8–6) || Beck || 9,524 || 33–36 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 70 || June 18 || @ Giants || 8–9 (15) || Juden || Rapp (3–9) || — || 15,439 || 33–37 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 71 || June 19 || @ Giants || 4–7 (15) || Bautista || Mathews (1–2) || — || 13,274 || 33–38 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 72 || June 21 || Pirates || 4–0 || Brown (6–5) || Darwin || — || 20,442 || 34–38 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 73 || June 22 || Pirates || 1–4 (10) || Plesac || Perez (2–2) || — || 26,666 || 34–39 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 74 || June 23 || Pirates || 3–5 || Lieber || Rapp (3–10) || Cordova || 20,769 || 34–40 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 75 || June 24 || Giants || 2–1 || Burkett (5–7) || Leiter || Nen (15) || 16,860 || 35–40 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 76 || June 25 || Giants || 5–4 (10) || Powell (2–0) || Beck || — || 16,577 || 36–40 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 77 || June 26 || Giants || 3–2 || Brown (7–5) || Watson || — || 21,188 || 37–40 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 78 || June 28 || Braves || 2–0 || Leiter (9–6) || Glavine || Nen (16) || 30,661 || 38–40 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 79 || June 29 || Braves || 5–3 || Rapp (4–10) || Smoltz || — || 40,952 || 39–40 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 80 || June 30 || Braves || 4–5 || Clontz || Burkett (5–8) || Wohlers || 34,023 || 39–41
|- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 81 || July 1 || @ Astros || 2–6 || Hampton || Brown (7–6) || — || 18,513 || 39–42 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 82 || July 2 || @ Astros || 3–4 (12) || Johnstone || Mathews (1–3) || — || 18,897 || 39–43 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 83 || July 3 || @ Astros || 3–4 || Drabek || Leiter (9–7) || Jones || 24,537 || 39–44 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 84 || July 4 || @ Phillies || 5–8 || Blazier || Rapp (4–11) || Bottalico || 17,460 || 39–45 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 85 || July 5 || @ Phillies || 4–7 || Borland || Miller (1–1) || Bottalico || 46,872 || 39–46 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 86 || July 6 || @ Phillies || 1–2 || Williams || Brown (7–7) || Bottalico || 22,278 || 39–47 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 87 || July 7 || @ Phillies || 7–4 (10) || Mathews (2–3) || Jordan || Nen (17) || 28,183 || 40–47 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 88 || July 11 || @ Braves || 9–8 || Burkett (6–8) || Avery || Nen (18) || 33,208 || 41–47 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 89 || July 12 || @ Braves || 3–6 || Glavine || Leiter (9–8) || Wohlers || 32,517 || 41–48 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 90 || July 13 || @ Braves || 0–3 || Smoltz || Brown (7–8) || — || 36,953 || 41–49 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb"