With their two original finalists now out of the picture, the Marlins met this week with a new front-runner for the managerial job: Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough.

According to a source, top Marlins officials met with McCullough after he returned to his offseason home in Jupiter following the Dodgers’ World Series parade last Friday in Los Angeles.

McCullough was a minor-league catcher in the Toronto farm system from 2002 through 2005 and then managed in the Blue Jays’ minor-league system for seven seasons. The Dodgers hired him in 2015 as their minor-league coordinator, and he has been with the organization ever since, serving as their first base coach the past four years.

The Marlins interviewed more than 10 people on Zoom for their managerial job, including McCullough. Two were then flown to South Florida for in-person interviews: Guardians bench coach Craig Albernaz and Texas Rangers associate manager Will Venable.

But Venable took the Chicago White Sox managerial job and Albernaz opted to stay with Cleveland. The Marlins did not make an offer to Albernaz or Venable.

The Marlins then reached out again to McCullough. But a source said other names also have been under consideration. Tigers bench coach George Lombard is another name that been on the Marlins’ radar during the process.

Meanwhile, Skip Schumaker — who parted with the Marlins after two seasons as their manager — this week took a job with the Texas Rangers as senior advisor to president of baseball operations Chris Young. The Dallas Morning News also reported that Luis Urueta, who was bench coach on Schumaker’s Marlins staff, is expected to take that same job with the Rangers after interviewing but ultimately being bypassed for the Marlins’ managerial job.

Schumaker, who earned National League Manager of the Year honors after guiding the Marlins to the playoffs in 2023, was reportedly a candidate for the White Sox and Reds managerial jobs this offseason, but those positions went to Venable and Terry Francona.

Schumaker — who is expected to manage again at some point — left the Marlins in what was confirmed to be a mutual decision by both parties.

SANCHEZ MOVES ON

Right-hander Sixto Sanchez, the prized prospect acquired from the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2019 J.T. Realmuto trade, left the Marlins organization this week, opting for free agency instead of an assignment to Triple A.

Sanchez dazzled at times as a rookie during the COVID-shortened 2020 season, finishing 3-2 with a 3.46 ERA in seven starts, and then allowing no earned runs in five innings of a 2-0 Game 2 playoff win against the Cubs. But the Braves touched him for four runs in three innings in a 7-0 loss to Atlanta in Game 3 of the National League Division Series, and that ended up being the last time he pitched until 2024.

He did not appear in a major- or minor league game in 2021, 2022 and 2023 because of persistent right shoulder issues that required two surgeries. He made the Marlins’ opening day roster this past March but struggled, going 0-3 with a 6.06 ERA in 14 games and seven starts while allowing 57 base-runners in 35 ⅔ innings.

He was placed on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation on June 2 and transferred to the 60–day injured list on June 25. A May 31 appearance against the Texas Rangers turned out to be his final Marlins appearance.

MORE ROSTER MOVES

The Marlins filled six of eight open spots on their 40-man roster this week, moving right-handed pitcher Luarbert Arias to their 40-man roster and reinstating pitchers Sandy Alcantara, Eury Perez, Jesus Luzardo, Braxton Garrett and Andrew Nardi off the injured list.

Alcantara, who underwent Tommy John surgery last offseason, has said he expects to be ready for opening day. Perez expects to be ready to pitch in games around the All-Star break.

Luzardo didn’t pitch after June 16 because of a lumbar stress reaction, but he said late in the season that he’s now fine. Garrett has been diagnosed with an elbow impingement. The Marlins are hopeful that rest will help.

As for Arias, he went 8-6 with a 3.04 ERA in 44 games (one start) at Triple A Jacksonville. He has a 3.12 ERA in six minor league seasons.

The Marlins now have 38 players on their 40-man roster.

▪ In another batch of recent moves, the Marlins claimed right handed pitcher Christian Roa off waivers from the Reds and outrighted pitchers Shaun Anderson, Darren McCaughan, Adam Oller and infielder/outfielder David Hensley to Triple A.

Roa, who was sidelined late in the season with a right shoulder sprain, had a 5.55 ERA in 23 games and four starts in Triple A last season. He’s a 2020 second-round pick out of Texas A&M.

▪ Four Marlins pitchers have been claimed by other teams this offseason: Roddery Munoz (St. Louis), John McMillon (Philadelphia), Michael Peterson (Toronto) and Anthony Maldonado (Oakland/Las Vegas).

The Marlins are one of three teams that did not have a single “traditional” free agent this season.