Marlins’ Schumaker discusses Sixto Sanchez, spring issues, more. And Bendix addresses fans

There has been very little roster turnover on the Marlins as spring training approaches.

But manager Skip Schumaker is excited about what can be viewed as additions to his pitching staff.

Four pitchers are returning from injuries that sidelined them for most or all of last season: Trevor Rogers, Max Meyer, Anthony Bender and Sixto Sanchez.

Rogers was limited to just four starts last season because of a biceps strain. Meyer and Bender missed the 2023 season recovering from Tommy John surgery. Arm problems again sidelined Sanchez, who hasn’t pitched in a game since 2020.

All are expected to participate in spring training, to some degree, when pitchers and catchers report to Jupiter on Feb. 15.

Though it’s unclear when he will pitch in a game, Schumaker said of Sanchez: “I am looking forward to seeing what he looks like in spring training. … I’m hoping he comes in and looks like the old Sixto for sure.”

During that COVID-shortened 2020 season, Sanchez - once a top pitching prospect - went 3-2 with a 3.46 ERA in seven games, his only major league appearances.

“I was really looking forward to seeing Trevor Rogers last year and he threw 27 innings,” Schumaker said. “I was looking forward to seeing Anthony Bender and the electric stuff he had. And he missed the whole year.”

Schumaker spoke twice at the team’s annual Fanfest at loanDepot Park on Friday, once during a brief session with reporters and also during a “State of the Marlins’” panel in which he and new Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix addressed the crowd and took questions from fans.

Some highlights from both of those sessions:

▪ Beyond eagerness to see those four previously injured pitchers, Schumaker mentioned wanting to see improvement from catcher Nick Fortes offensively (he hit .204 last season), what pitcher Eury Perez does in his second year in the big leagues (he had a 3.15 ERA in 19 starts as a rookie) and if center fielder Jazz Chisholm can stay healthy after appearing in just 60 and 97 games the past two seasons.

“A full season of Eury is going to be fun,” he said, adding he’s also excited about Jesus Luzardo “turning into an ace” and “what Braxton [Garrett] is going to provide this second full season knowing he knows what that full season looks like.

“There are a lot of really fun things I’m looking forward to like there were last year. Not as many position changes. [I was] trying to give guys longer leashes [last spring] because we knew [a few] were changing positions…I’m looking forward to seeing how guys worked in the offseason, what they were working on, their deficiencies.”

Schumaker said ace Sandy Alcantara, who will miss the season while recovering from Tommy John (elbow) surgery in October, will be in the dugout during games and accompany the team on road trips.

“The last guy I’m worried about coming back from a major surgery is Sandy,” he said.

Bendix said he would put Marlins pitching “up against any team in baseball.”

▪ Though the Marlins were swept by Philadelphia in a best of three first-round series, Schumaker said his players are better for the experience.

“A lot of guys got a taste of it, which is exciting and they want to get back and they know what the experience looks like now,” he said. “I don’t think there’s a tougher environment than Philly in the playoffs and they got a taste of it.”

▪ Asked how the Marlins will draw more fans, Schumaker said: “Winning. I live in Orange County, California. Those teams that win [draw] a lot of fans. I know how this works. When you have exciting players and you win, more fans come out to watch those guys.

“It’s fun to watch Jazz. It’s fun to watch [Luis] Arraez hit. It’s fun to watch Luzardo pitch. It’s fun to watch Eury pitch. Tanner Scott is one of the best closers in the game. There are a lot of exciting players to watch. I think the fan base knows that and will start coming out like they did last year and supporting us more and more.”

▪ Bendix on his offseason: “It’s been very busy and learning a lot of different things. It’s been fantastic so far, just getting to know the entire front office and really working towards setting the foundation to build on the success that they had last year. We know this is a really talented team. We’re looking to add front office resources, infrastructure, everything that [is] going to take us to the next level, and to really sustain that success.”

▪ Bendix on what he has looked for to fill out the front office: “You need lots of different ideas, different backgrounds, perspectives, skills. All these things are going to lead to the best decisions.”

▪ Bendix, asked by a fan if the Marlins intend to sign free agents: “There’s a lot of players out there and we’re having a lot of conversations. Were having conversations about free agents. We’re having conversations about trades. We are looking for ways that we can make our team better this year, in the future, all of it. So there’s a lot of guys out there and there’s still a lot of time left before spring training.”

The Marlins are the only MLB team that hasn’t signed a free agent to a major league contract this offseason.