Kim Ng, MLB's first female GM, leaving Miami Marlins after rare winning season

Miami Marlins General Manager Kim Ng — MLB's first female head of baseball operations — will not return to the team in a stunning departure after the club won more games this season than it had in more than a decade, officials said Monday.

The team had exercised a mutual option to bring Ng back for 2024, but she declined her end of the deal, Marlins chairman and principal owner Bruce Sherman announced.

"We thank Kim for her contributions during her time with our organization and wish her and her family well," Sherman said in a statement.

The Marlins went 84-78 this season, grabbing the National League's second wild-card spot, before they were eliminated by the Philadelphia Phillies.

Not including the Covid-shortened 2020 campaign, it was Miami's first winning season since 2009, when the Marlins went 87-75.

In comments to The Athletic and MLB.com, Ng acknowledged that she had a fundamental disagreement with management's plans.

“Last week, Bruce and I discussed his plan to reshape the Baseball Operations department. In our discussions, it became apparent that we were not completely aligned on what that should look like,” Ng said.

“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,” she said. “This year was a great step forward for the organization.”

Her departure has tones similar to those of the exit of former CEO Derek Jeter, who hired Ng three years ago.

“Through hard work, trust and accountability, we transformed every aspect of the franchise, reshaping the workforce and developing a long-term strategic plan for success,” Jeter said Feb. 28, 2022, in a statement he released through PR Newswire and not the Marlins. “That said, the vision for the future of the franchise is different than the one I signed up to lead.”

Before Monday, Ng, 54, was also MLB's highest-ranking woman in baseball operations and the first woman in any of North America's major pro sports leagues to hold such a position.

Her fingerprints were all over this season's success.

• The Marlins’ top home run hitter this season, designated hitter Jorge Soler, was a free-agent pick by Ng last spring.

• Second basemen Luis Arraez, starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo, third basemen Jake Burger and relief pitchers Tanner Scott and A.J. Puk were all key contributors to Miami this season after they were acquired by Ng in the trade market.

• First baseman Josh Bell slugged 11 home runs in 53 games after he went to Miami in a trade deadline pickup.

• Manager Skip Schumaker, brought to Miami after last season, is expected to get some votes in National League manager of the year balloting.

Ng, who is of Chinese descent, was also the first East Asian to hold such a position in MLB.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com