The Boston Red Sox's search for a new leader of their front office has been a mess since the day it started. Reasonable people can disagree over whether or not Boston should have fired Chaim Bloom in the first place, but it has become abundantly clear that top candidates aren't exactly beating down the Red Sox's door right now.
Between ownership's meddling in the Red Sox's attempts to increase payroll to how Bloom's firing was handled, the better GM candidates have good reason to want to steer clear despite the fact that Boston's has a pretty exciting young core. However, one surprise candidate just became available this morning.
The Miami Marlins and Kim Ng have parted ways per sources.
— Craig Mish (@CraigMish) October 16, 2023
In a press release from the Marlins - the club offered Kim a contract to return in 2024. A mutual option. She declined.
— Craig Mish (@CraigMish) October 16, 2023
Kim Ng leaving the Marlins could mean that she is after the Red Sox's top job
It is safe to say that Kim Ng leaving the Marlins immediately after the team made a surprising run to the wild card round of the playoffs has sent shockwaves throughout the industry. It is possible that she just felt as though the Marlins were lowballing her with their offer or that there was a firm limit as to how far she could take them given their payroll limitations. The full story will likely never be known, but what is known is that an exciting and well-respected executive just hit the free agent market.
Ng wouldn't decline her option unless she had an option she liked better. Sure, she could just want to take a step back from a tough situation in Miami, but she is highly regarded around the league and just took a Miami team to the playoffs with a payroll equal to the loose change in Steven Cohen's couch. For a Boston ownership group that seems to care a lot about their bottom line, an executive that has been successful managing a limited payroll who also has experience in front offices from big media markets could be a godsend.
Time will tell if Boston takes advantage of this opportunity, but it will be a massive failure if they don't at least check in with her and see if she is interested.