The Marlins are in the MLB playoffs for just the fourth time in franchise history, and trailblazing general manager Kim Ng is a big reason why.
Miami entered the All-Star break a surprising 14 games over .500, but lost eight straight and 11 of 15 to open the second half. With the reeling Marlins in desperate need of lineup help, Ng made what proved to be two of the most impactful deals from this year's trade deadline.
First, Miami sent top pitching prospect Jake Eder to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for slugging third baseman Jake Burger. The Fish then acquired veteran first baseman Josh Bell, who was in the middle of a down first season with the Cleveland Guardians.
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Both Burger and Bell hit the ground running with the Marlins. Burger, who came over to Miami as a .214 hitter with 25 homers, hit .303/.355/.505 with nine homers and 28 RBIs over 53 games, while Bell broke out of his slump with a .270/.338/.480 slash line, 11 homers and 26 RBIs in 53 games.
The two additions helped propel the Fish to their first playoff appearance in a full season since they won the World Series all the way back in 2003 (Miami made the playoffs in the COVID-shortened 2020 season). In the process, Ng become the first female GM to reach the postseason.
That wasn't the first time she made baseball history, either. Here's what to know about the Marlins general manager:
How old is Kim Ng?
Ng is 54 years old.
Where is Kim Ng from?
After being born in Indianapolis, Ng grew up in the New York metropolitan area, spending time in Queens, Long Island and New Jersey. She went to Ridgewood High School in New Jersey.
Where did Kim Ng go to college?
Ng attended the University of Chicago, where she played softball for four years.
How did Kim Ng become the Marlins' GM?
Ng's time in baseball dates back to 1990 when was a baseball operations intern with the White Sox. She was hired by the White Sox on a full-time basis after graduating college and would go on to become the club's assistant director of baseball operations. In 1997, she departed Chicago to become the director of waivers and records for the American League office.
Ng landed her first major front office role as a 29-year-old in 1998 when the New York Yankees made her the youngest assistant GM ever at the time. After four playoff appearances and three World Series titles in four years with the Bronx Bombers, Ng joined the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2002 as vice president and assistant general manager. She was part of another four postseason berths during her nine seasons in L.A.
She then worked as MLB's senior vice president of baseball operations in the nine years leading up to her Marlins tenure.
When was Kim Ng hired as Marlins GM?
This is Ng's third season leading Miami's front office. She was hired in November 2020, becoming the first ever female general manager of a major North American sports team.
The Marlins went 67-95 and 69-93 over Ng's first two seasons. This past offseason, Miami acquired 2023 NL batting champion Luis Arráez, and Ng made her first manager hire by bringing first-time skipper Skip Schumaker aboard. Ng and Schumaker, who are candidates for MLB Executive of the Year and NL Manager of the Year, respectively, oversaw the franchise's first winning 162-game season since 2009 by finishing 84-78.