Bendix talks Marlins' offseason goals, how to build on 2026 promise

This story was excerpted from Christina De Nicola's Marlins Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

The General Managers Meetings are taking place this week in Las Vegas, where every organization is convening for the first time this Hot Stove season.

Colleague Mark Feinsand was kind enough to ask Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix a handful of questions on my behalf.

• What to expect at GM Meetings this week in Vegas

MLB.com: How much of a priority is addressing the rotation, and do you think you’ll address that in free agency?

Bendix: Possibly. I feel very good about the rotation right now. I feel very good about the pitchers that we're going to be returning. I think we have strong top-end [arms]. I think we've got strong depth. I think we've got guys that can take a step forward. We've got young guys coming back from injury. We kind of have all different flavors of pitchers that I think could be very, very good. And we're also open to external additions, too.

MLB.com: In general, would a guy with a qualifying offer attached deter you from looking into him?

Bendix: It is an additional consideration, but it doesn't deter us.

MLB.com: What’s your level of need for a left-handed reliever?

Bendix: Probably among the higher things that we could need. Also very excited about what Dax Fulton showed us. As he pitched more out of the bullpen, we kind of saw the stuff tick up, the confidence grow. [That] doesn't mean we couldn't use other left-handed relievers also, but I think Dax showed that he could be pretty good.

MLB.com: Do you see Agustín Ramírez as your backup catcher going in, or is that an area you could look into upgrading?

Bendix: Both. I think Gus is capable of being the backup catcher, but we'll also look for additions as well.

MLB.com: Have there been extension talks going on with anybody?

Bendix: Always ongoing, right?

MLB.com: When you look at your splits against lefties, how do you combat that? Is it bringing in different players? Is it changing your approach with current players?

Bendix: A little bit of both. I think some of it was the composition of our team. We had more than [the] usual number of guys who had big platoon splits, struggled against lefties and were pretty good against righties. And I think that there was an element of once it was in guys' heads, they kind of pressed a little bit. Some of that is an approach thing, some of that is a personnel thing, and some of that is just growth. You just get better at it over the course of growing.

MLB.com: How do you view your priorities this offseason?

Bendix: We think we are in a really strong spot organizationally, which is a great place to be. We want to get better. It's also harder to get better when you have a lot of good players. [It] doesn't mean we won't try. [It] doesn't mean we can't get better. But I don't view any particular spot as one in which we're circling and saying, "Oh man, this is the one thing we really, really need."

MLB.com: Do you see this team close to being a postseason team next year?

Bendix: I think we have a really, really strong team, and I think we are building in the direction we want to go.