Here's how the Cubs could benefit from Marlins' coaching staff 'bloodbath'

Earlier this week, Craig Counsell wasted no time getting to work, dismissing multiple coaches from his 2024 staff. The biggest name that turned heads was first base coach Mike Napoli, but the Chicago Cubs also moved on from bullpen coach Darren Holmes after just one season in the role.

That bears pointing out given the news out of Miami on Tuesday, where the Marlins and president of baseball operations Peter Bendix took 'cleaning house' to a whole new level, literally starting over regarding the coaching staff.

Miami and manager Skip Schumaker agreed to part ways, with the team voiding his option for 2025 afer major differences arose between him and Marlins brass after GM Kim Ng was kicked to the curb, despite shaping a roster that made the postseason in 2023. Now, it seems whoever Bendix taps to succeed last year's NL Manager of the Year will be able to round out the entire staff.

One of the members of the coaching staff cut loose? Pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr., who is widely regarded as one of the best at what he does after playing an integral role in the Marlins' development of arms including former Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara, Pablo López and Tanner Scott.

Stottlemyre Jr. has nearly a decade of experience as a big-league pitching coach and, before that, also served as a bullpen coach. He's going to be one of the hottest coaching commodities out there, but if the Cubs can find a way to lure him to Chicago as Craig Counsell's next bullpen coach, it could bring some stability to a facet of this team that was all over the place this year.

The Cubs will go into 2025 with their fourth new bullpen coach since 2019 when they cut ties with longtime staff staple Lester Strode, who oversaw the team's relievers from 2007 to 2019. Miami saw the benefits of having some continuity with Stottlemyre Jr. as its pitching coach year in and year out, and the hope is that could be the case in Chicago, even in a different role.

The challenge will be getting him to move back to a bullpen coach role when he's been the top man in an organization on the pitching side of things since 2015. He'll surely get offers to be a pitching coach this winter, so selling him on being Tommy Hottovy's #2 is the task at hand. If Counsell can pull it off, though, the move could pay off in a big way with a number of young arms expected to contribute in the bullpen next season.