MIAMI -- Earlier this week, Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix answered some Hot Stove questions at the General Managers Meetings.
Let’s try and read between the lines and decipher what Miami is considering when it comes to upgrading the roster.
The Marlins feel “very good” about the rotation, but they’re “also open to external additions.”
Barring any subtractions, the Marlins’ starting-pitching depth to begin Spring Training includes all righties: Sandy Alcantara, Eury Pérez, 2026 All-Star Max Meyer, Janson Junk, Ryan Gusto and Tyler Phillips.
Meyer, who didn’t pitch after July 18 due to a neck strain, is expected to be full-go by then. Righty Adam Mazur (elbow surgery) and lefty Robby Snelling (elbow surgery) have projected return-to-game timelines of April/May and May/June, respectively.
On the farm, left-hander Thomas White (Marlins No. 1 prospect, No. 47 overall) and Karson Milbrandt (Marlins No. 6) are at Triple-A Jacksonville. The organization’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year, Eliazar Dishmey (Marlins No. 30 prospect), finished his season at Double-A Pensacola.
Each of the past two years, Miami has taken a flier on a veteran starter before spring began -- righties Cal Quantrill ($3.5 million in 2025) and Chris Paddack ($4 million in 2026) -- and neither ended the season with the club. Both were seen as possible innings-eaters.
If the same were to happen this offseason, that would put the Marlins out of the first couple of free-agent tiers. As colleague Mark Feinsand reported, lefty Patrick Sandoval has garnered interest from teams. Sandoval, who turned 30 last month, compiled a 3.77 FIP and a 1.68 WHIP in 15 games (13 starts) this season in his return from elbow surgery. He very much falls into the category of bounceback candidate.
A list of this year’s free agents can be found here.
A left-handed reliever is “probably among the higher things we could need.”
The way the 40-man roster stands right now, Andrew Nardi (likely out for all of 2027), Cade Gibson (5.36 ERA in 2026) and Dax Fulton (3.77 ERA in 16 outings) are the only southpaw relievers.
Arbitration-eligible Nardi is a non-tender candidate ahead of the Nov. 20 deadline, while Gibson had a down year in 2026 after a solid rookie campaign in 2025 (2.63 ERA). Fulton, a former second-round pick who came up as a starter but underwent two elbow surgeries, showed promise out of the bullpen as a rookie.
While Bendix said a qualifying offer “doesn’t deter us,” Adrian Morejon is the top prize in this year’s class and will command a high sum if he rejects the Padres’ QO. Former Marlin Alex Vesia will also be in demand.
Other available lefties include Sean Newcomb and José Alvarado. This past season, Newcomb was used in a variety of roles with the White Sox -- from opener to multiple innings to closer -- something that the Marlins also do. In a down year (5.86 ERA), Alvarado’s velocity, hard-hit percentage, barrel rate and extension were still in the 92nd percentile or better. He also overlapped with Bendix and the Rays before his Phillies tenure.
Miami sees Agustín Ramírez capable of “being the backup catcher” but will “also look for additions.”
With the departures of Brian Navarreto and Logan Driscoll, Joe Mack and Ramírez are the only catchers on the 40-man roster.
Ramírez, who had a disappointing 2026 that included a months-long demotion to Triple-A, showed marginal progress behind the dish and at the plate in his return to the Majors. He is competing in the Dominican Winter League to get more reps.
The backup catcher would only need to start one or two times a week considering Mack’s workload this season, so where would this leave Ramírez? He practiced a bit at first base but did not get into a game there, and the Marlins would rather use the designated hitter spot as a way to maximize the lineup.
A veteran backup catcher could mentor Mack and the pitching staff. There are a handful on the free-agent market, including James McCann and Kyle Higashioka. The latter has ties to former Yankees on the Marlins’ coaching staff and front office. Both would be 37 years old in 2027.
The variable in all of this, of course, is that the backstop would have to go along with pitch-calling from the dugout.