MIAMI -- Clayton McCullough, who guided the Marlins to their most wins over a two-season span since 2009 and 2010, will return as manager in 2027, president of baseball operations Peter Bendix said Tuesday.
McCullough, the former Los Angeles Dodgers first-base coach, posted an 80-82 record in his second season in Miami but again failed to reach the postseason.
"Clayton and I are very aligned," Bendix said. "Clayton is an excellent representative of the organization, excellent voice of the organization. He has helped establish a fantastic culture in our clubhouse."
Bendix said the team will part ways with hitting coach Pedro Guerrero, but the rest of the staff will remain intact.
The biggest decision of the offseason will be whether to exercise the $21 million club option for ace Sandy Alcantara for next season.
Alcantara led the majors with 214 innings pitched and picked up three saves in three relief appearances down the stretch. He said he wants to continue pitching for the Marlins after returning to form this season following Tommy John surgery that sidelined him in 2024 and affected his play last year.
He finished 13-11 this season with a 3.87 ERA in 33 starts.
"With anything about player moves, I don't know exactly what's going to happen and I don't like speculating on that," Bendix said at his end-of-season news conference, "but with Sandy in particular, he's so meaningful to this organization. That's not lost on me. That's not lost on us."
While Alcantara's relief-inning usage late in the season was in part out of necessity because of injuries in Miami's bullpen, Bendix said the Marlins may explore continuing to use him and other starters in late-inning situations going forward.
Alcantara said coming out of the bullpen was his idea, and he's open to continuing it next season. Eury Perez also made a relief appearance late in the season.
"I have no idea where it goes in the future, but I do think that it shows the innovation of this organization that we're continually willing to try these things," Bendix said. "And it really is a credit to both the pitchers themselves for being willing to do that, and the coaches."
In other injury news, center fielder Jakob Marsee, who began experiencing left elbow discomfort at the end of the season, plans to see Dr. Keith Meister, an orthopedic surgeon, in the next week.
Closer Peter Fairbanks, who went on the IL on Sept. 15 because of nerve irritation, will have surgery on Oct. 8.
All-Star right-hander Max Meyer, who went on the injured list in July with a neck injury, should be ready for spring training, along with reliever Anthony Bender (shin) and outfielder Owen Caissie (lumbar stress reaction). Rookie Robby Snelling, Miami's highly rated pitching prospect, is expected to return in May or June after having season-ending elbow surgery in May.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.