The Miami Marlins are a team that plays baseball.
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs , or simply the American League ( AL ) , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball ( MLB ) in the United States and Canada . The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami , Florida . The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) as a member of the National League ( NL ) East division . The Marlins have the distinction of winning a World Series championship in both seasons they qualified for the postseason , doing so in 1997 and 2003 -- both times as the National League wild card team . The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball ( MLB ) in North America , contested since 1903 between the American League ( AL ) champion team and the National League ( NL ) champion team .