The entire baseball world might have been transported back to the year 2003 and not even realize it. The Miami Marlins continued their incredible first-half to the 2023 season, finishing off a sweep against the Boston Red Sox Thursday night. They now enter special franchise history that could foretell a magical end to this unfathomable run.

After shutting out the offensively-bewildered Red Sox 2-0 and outscoring them 18-3 over the three-game set, the Marlins improve to 48-34. They have been 14 games above .500 only two other times in their team's existence, according to ESPN Stats & Info. Both times culminated in a World Series celebration.

Those 1997 and 2003 championship squads had something uniquely familiar to this group. They snuck up on everybody. While the 2003 team had an abundance of talent, the Fish came into those seasons following losing campaigns. The Marlins do not waste a successful year. They go for it all.

Now, it will be extremely difficult for history to repeat itself in a stacked National League that includes the regular roadblocks like the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers and also other upstarts like the Arizona Diamondbacks and Cincinnati Reds. Their lack of offensive firepower could also be a hindrance to a deep postseason run. Though, there are also a lot of reasons to buy into Miami.

Starting with Luis Arraez, whose quest for .400 and a second career batting title has captivated fans all across the sport. He had a hitless night in Boston to cap off a tough series (now batting .392), but the fact he is even flirting with one of baseball's most sacred numbers is astounding. His arrival has coincided with an abrupt turnaround. And he is not the only young star. Rookie sensation Eury Perez has a 1.34 ERA in nine starts and is holding batters to a stingy .182 average.

All of this is happening with reigning NL Cy Young Sandy Alcantara having a down year. If he can revert to anything resembling his 2022 form, then this ESPN statistic could become a full-blown prophecy by the end of October. Although he is 92, World Series-winning manager Jack McKeon might be compelled to break out another cigar as this historic revival rolls on.