Last-Place Marlins Lure Manager From World Champion Dodgers

Facing a frantic season of free agency and trading, the 30 teams of Major League Baseball have finally filled all their managerial vacancies.

The last open slots were filled over the weekend when the New York Yankees exercised the club option on Aaron Boone and the Miami Marlins decided to give Clayton McCullough, first base coach of the World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers, his first shot as a manager.

McCullough, 44, will be one of the youngest managers in the majors, plus one of the lowest-paid, though contract terms were not disclosed by the club.

He will also face the daunting task of reviving a team that finished last in the National League East, 33 games behind the front-running Dodgers.

The Fish flourished two years ago under Skip Schumaker, who was NL Manager of the Year in 2023 but unable to maintain the magic last season. He is now a senior advisor with the Texas Rangers, where he is considered the heir apparent to incumbent manager Bruce Bochy.

With Miami pitching ace Sandy Alcantara idled by Tommy John surgery and the offense sputtering all summer, the Marlins were one of three teams – along with the Colorado Rockies and woeful Chicago White Sox – to post triple digits in losses last year.

Before hiring McCullough, Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix reportedly interviewed Will Venable, Craig Albernaz, George Lombard, Luis Urueta, and more than a half-dozen others.

A former minor-league catcher who never played in the majors, McCullough coached and managed in the Toronto system before joining the Dodgers in 2015. He was with the club at the same time as Gabe Kapler, now assistant general manager of the Marlins but then director of player development for Los Angeles.

With Washington showing signs of improvement as its young players mature, the Marlins may have trouble escaping last place. The other teams in the division – the Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, and Atlanta Braves – are all veteran-heavy juggernauts who harbor post-season hopes for 2025.

The highly-regarded McCullough interviewed for other vacancies in recent years, including jobs in Milwaukee, Cleveland, Kansas City, New York (Mets), and Chicago (White Sox).

He’ll feel especially at home during spring training, since he lives in the same town where the Marlins train (Jupiter, Fla.).

One of his chief goals will be to supply some stability to a team in turmoil.

Although the Fish found their way into the post-season in 2023, they have lost considerable executive talent in Derek Jeter, Tony Perez, Jeff Conine, Schumaker, and Kim Ng, who spent three seasons as the first female general manager in baseball history.

The recent history of the Marlins also includes Joe Girardi, like Schumaker an NL Manager of the Year recipient before running afoul of team management.

In 2024, no Marlins pitcher won more than six games or saved more than 18. The man who did both, Tanner Scott, was sent to the San Diego Padres in a payroll-paring move at the trade deadline.

Charismatic infielder Jazz Chisholm, Jr. was also traded away. After moving to third base, he helped the Yankees win the American League pennant.

The best returning hitter is Jake Burger, who had 29 home runs last year. Fellow infielder Xavier Edwards led the team with a .328 batting average and 31 stolen bases in just 70 games.

Miami ranks next-to-last with a $71 million projected payroll that is four times smaller than the one operated by the front-running Dodgers, according to Roster Resource.

The return of Alcantara should help but much remains to be seen for the rest of the team.

McCullough and Venable, hired by the White Sox, are the lone rookie managers for the 2025 season. Former World Champion Terry Francona, returning after missing a year with health issues, is joining a new team, the Cincinnati Reds.