- The Marlins exercised their option on Ng, 54, but she declined to pick up hers
- Ng became the first female general manager in U.S. men’s sports when she took the job in 2021
- DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
Miami Marlins general manager Kim Ng will not return to the team next season after declining her 2024 option.
Ng took the job in late 2020, becoming the first woman to serve as general manager of a team in one of the four major U.S. professional sports leagues.
She had a successful 2023, helping the Marlins reach the postseason, where they were swept in the wild card round by the Philadelphia Phillies.
It’s unclear if she has an offer from another team, but there are several vacancies around the majors, including the Boston Red Sox and New York Mets.
ESPN reports that Ng decided to leave after majority owner Bruce Sherman told her he planned to hire someone to oversee the baseball operations department, effectively demoting her.
Miami Marlins general manager Kim Ng (right) hugs owner Bruce Sherman (left)
Since she decided to leave, Ng has spoken to The Athletic’s Tyler Kepner and said Sherman had a different vision for her department than she did.
“Last week, Bruce (Sherman) and I discussed his plan to reshape the Baseball Operations department,” she told Kepner. ‘During our conversations it became clear that we didn’t fully agree on what that should look like and I felt it was best to distance ourselves.
“I would like to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to the Marlins family and its fans for my time in South Florida. This year was a big step forward for the organization, and I will miss working with (manager) Skip (Schumaker) and his coaches, as well as all the dedicated staff in baseball operations and the entire front office. They are a very talented group and I wish them the best of luck in the future.”
The Marlins released a much less detailed statement earlier on Monday.
“The Miami Marlins announced today that Kim Ng will not return as general manager of the club,” the team statement said. “Although the club exercised its team option to have her return for the 2024 season, Kim declined her mutual option. We thank Kim for her contributions during her time with our organization and wish her and her family the best.
Ng (front) celebrates in the locker room after beating the Pirates to secure a place in the play-offs
“We will immediately begin a thorough and extensive search for new leadership as we plan to continue investing in the Marlins organization both on and off the field. We are committed to our fans and the South Florida community and want to build on the momentum of this year’s great progress.”
Ng (pronounced “Ang”) was the highest-ranking woman in the baseball department of any team.
The University of Chicago graduate has more than 30 years of MLB experience, including 21 years in the front office of the Chicago White Sox (1990-96), New York Yankees (1998-2001) and Los Angeles Dodgers (2002-11 ). ).
Ng was also the first Asian American to hold the top job in the baseball department of an MLB team.
Umpire Alfonso Marquez inspects Citi Field as Marlins GM Kim Ng looks on in September
“I joined Major League Baseball as an intern and, after decades of determination, it is the honor of my career to lead the Miami Marlins as their next general manager,” when he was hired in 2021.
“We are building for the long term in South Florida, developing a progressive, collaborative, creative baseball operation made up of incredibly talented and dedicated employees who have built a tremendous foundation for success in recent years.”
The team has improved since her hiring, going 67-95 in 2021, 69-93 in 2022 and 84-78 this season, earning a wild-card berth.
Some of Ng’s biggest moves included the acquisitions of pitchers Jesus Luzardo and Pablo Lopez, as well as the contract extension of 2022 National League Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara.
