Kim Ng won’t return as Marlins general manager

In a shocking turn of events, the Marlins announced on Monday that general manager Kim Ng will not be returning in 2024.

“Although the club exercised its team option for her to return for the 2024 season, Kim has declined her mutual option,” Marlins chairman and principal owner Bruce Sherman said in a statement. “We thank Kim for her contributions during her time with our organization and wish her and her family well.

“We will immediately begin a thorough and extensive search for new leadership as we plan to continue to invest in the Marlins organization both on and off the field. We are committed to our fans and the South Florida community, and look to build off the momentum of the great progress of this year.”

Hired in November 2020, Ng became the first woman to serve as a GM for any major professional men’s team in North American sports. She also was the fifth person to serve in that capacity in the organization’s history.

It was no easy task for Ng, as she had joined an organization with the fourth-worst record in the Majors since 2004 and was perennially near the basement of the National League East.

In three seasons with Ng at the helm, Miami went 220-266, making the postseason in 2023 for the first time since the pandemic-shortened ’20 campaign. It also was the first time the Marlins clinched a full-season postseason spot in 20 years. The Marlins were ousted in a two-game sweep by the Phillies in the NL Wild Card Series.

“Last week Bruce and I discussed his plan to reshape the Baseball Operations department,” Ng wrote in a statement to MLB.com. “In our discussions, it became apparent that we were not completely aligned on what that should look like, and I felt it best to step away. I wish to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to the Marlins family and its fans for my time in South Florida. 

“This year was a great step forward for the organization, and I will miss working with Skip [Schumaker] and his coaches as well as all of the dedicated staff in baseball operations and throughout the front office. They are a very talented group and I wish them great success in the future.”

Ng, who will be a strong contender for Executive of the Year, pulled off key moves over that timeframe that led to the success of the 2023 club. Among them were the trade acquisitions of closer Tanner Scott, NL Wild Card Series Game 1 starter Jesús Luzardo, All-Star second baseman Luis Arraez, Jake Burger and Josh Bell. She also hired first-time manager and likely NL Manager of the Year finalist Schumaker last November.

Internal candidates for the GM job could include assistant general managers Brian Chattin, Daniel Greenlee and Oz Ocampo.