There should be plenty of synergy on the Miami Marlins' bench behind manager Clayton McCullough, with one exception: the first base coach.

37-year-old Pedro Guerrero was let go by the Fish following the conclusion of the regular season, one that saw the team go 80-82 and finish third in the National League East Division, behind the champions, the Atlanta Braves, and the second-place Philadelphia Phillies. The hitting can be pointed to as a vital factor in why Miami wasn't able to snare a Wild Card spot - something that at one point seemed to be in their grasp.

President of baseball operations Peter Bendix announced during his end-of-season media conference that the club needed to look in a new direction. He also pointed out that the process of working with batters has a unique layout in the organization. Joe Migliaccio is the Director of Hitting. So there are several layers of support that guys have during games or when they take their swings in the cage.

The Marlins were ninth in the majors in OPS this year, but just 18th with 4.41 runs per game. In the 76 games from July 1 on, the Fish hit .247 and averaged 4.37 runs per game. That helped contribute to some of their second-half downfall, particularly with all the injuries to the pitching staff. Following a 12-game losing streak in July, the team was looking for a reprieve. Instead, Miami hit only .237 in August.

With a team centering around young players, the next batting coach will be a pivotal selection, but the support system in place should make any transition fairly seamless. That's not to say that Guerrero's replacement won't have a strong influence - particularly if it's a proven former big-league star, or a longtime mentor that has garnered a long history of success.

While it's doubtful that the Miami will bust open the Fishy Bank to pay for a 'celebrity name' at the position, there are still some likely candidates that could fill the role.

The Marlins are retaining Chris Hess and Corbin Day as assistant hitting coaches, so either of them could realistically just be promoted from within. That would make the transition incredibly simple, as both are already in tune with the Marlins' mission.

At the same time, Miami might look to someone with an established reputation elsewhere who is looking for a fresh start or a re-boot. Names like Kevin Seitzer, who was let go the Seattle Mariners, or recently released Athletics' coach Chris Cron as possibilities.

Former Marlins hitting coach Marcus Thames, who was with the team in 2022 before going to the Angels and then the White Sox, could also be a possibility. As rare as it might seem to bring back someone who has already departed, his recent connection to the previous regime shouldn't be held against him. Plus, he already knows where the vending machines are in the building... so that's another step eliminated.

While it may seem trivial to some fans, the team will want to continue the aforementioned synergy that McCullough has established. After two moderately successful years at the start of the team's rebuild, he will be looking for the name to help take his team to the next level.