In Peter Bendix, Marlins have their new president of baseball operations. Now the work begins

For years, the Miami Marlins have tried to emulate the Tampa Bay Rays and be a team that could consistently reach the postseason on a small-market budget.

What better way to attempt to reach that goal than to have someone who has been part of the Rays’ success lead the way?

The Marlins on Monday decided to do just that, hiring Rays general manager Peter Bendix as their new president of baseball operations.

“Peter is an established industry leader with an extensive skill set and deep experience that will continue the momentum we have made on the Major League level, while also strategically building the foundation for sustained success through player acquisition, development, and scouting at all levels,” Marlins chairman and principal owner Bruce Sherman said in a press release. “In addition to the extensive track record of winning with the Rays, Peter showcased leadership and culture-defining abilities that will have a tremendous impact on our organization.”

Bendix replaces Kim Ng, who was the Marlins’ general manager (and the first female general manager in MLB history) for the past three seasons. Ng left the organization on Oct. 16 after declining her side of a mutual option for the 2024 season over differences of opinion with Sherman’s plan to reshape the baseball operations department — a plan that included hiring someone above her — after the Marlins made the playoffs for the first time in a full season in 20 years.

Now, the onus falls on Bendix to keep the Marlins trending in that upward direction.

“I would like to thank Bruce for his confidence in entrusting me with such an important role,” Bendix said in a release. “I am eager to get to South Florida and to begin working with the talented and passionate people throughout the Marlins organization.”

Bendix’s background

Bendix, 38, had been with the Rays for 15 seasons before being hired by the Marlins. He started as an intern in 2009 after graduating from Tufts University and worked his way up to general manager ahead of the 2022 season — the No. 2 person in Tampa Bay’s baseball operations department under Erik Neander, who previously had the general manager title before being promoted to president of baseball operations.

According to his Rays staff directory bio, Bendix’s role as general manager included assisting Neander with department oversight and an “increased focus on major league operation,” which included player evaluation and acquisition as well as roster management.

Prior to becoming general manager, Bendix worked in various roles for Tampa Bay’s baseball operations department. This included six seasons leading the Rays’ baseball development department and serving as vice president of baseball development from 2020 to 2021. His other titles, according to his Rays bio, have included assistant to baseball operations, coordinator of baseball research and development, and director of baseball development.

Replicating the Rays

During his decade-and-a-half with Tampa Bay, Bendix saw the Rays’ rise to annual contenders in the American League despite not having the same resources as their divisional opponents.

The Rays went a combined 421-287 during the past five seasons and went to the playoffs each year, including a trip to the World Series in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. That was in spite of the fact that the Rays were in the bottom third of the league each year in roster payroll.

The Rays did it through a combination of strong drafts, smart trades and efficient free agent signings.

Does that plan sound familiar?

It should because it’s the same strategy the Marlins have been trying to utilize but to far less success.

“They are a shining example of a smaller-market club getting the very best out of every single one of the 26 players that they put out on the field,” Ng said in September 2021 when the Marlins faced the Rays in St. Petersburg during the final stretch of her first season as Miami’s general manager. “I think that one of the most compelling things when I watch this club is that they are pedal to the metal. They are savvily aggressive, and they just play a really great brand of baseball. I think in a lot of ways for other clubs, they’re an aspiration. They’re not a flash in the pan, year in and year out, and I think that’s what everybody’s trying to get to.”

The Marlins finally began to see signs of success in Ng’s third and final season, when they went 84-78 and advanced to the postseason as the National League’s second wild card team. Miami did so primarily due to Ng’s ability to swing trades to make up for the organization’s shortcomings with the draft and player development, two areas Bendix will be tasked with improving.

He will also have to fill key roles in both the amateur scouting and international operations department with senior director of amateur scouting DJ Svihlik and senior director of international operations Adrian Lorenzo both gone as well.

The offseason ahead

And then there’s the Marlins’ roster that Bendix will have to address this offseason.

Offense once again will likely be a top priority for the Marlins. They still scored the fifth-fewest runs last season (666) and tied for the eighth-fewest home runs (166) despite having the fourth-best batting average (.259) and ranking 19th in on-base-plus-slugging percentage (.721).

Bendix has a few hitters to build around in two-time batting champion Luis Arraez, third baseman Jake Burger and first baseman Josh Bell, who on Saturday exercised his $16.5 million player option for the 2024 season.

But the Marlins will need to replace a lot of power after All-Star designated hitter Jorge Soler, who hit 36 of Miami’s 166 home runs, declined his player option for the 2024 season. The team also needs to figure out its plan at shortstop and most likely will look to upgrade at catcher as well.

On the mound, the Marlins will be without ace and 2022 Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara after he underwent Tommy John surgery after the season ended. Miami’s rotation at this point consists of a young core of Jesus Luzardo, Eury Perez, Braxton Garrett, Edward Cabrera, Trevor Rogers and Ryan Weathers plus the potential return of 2020 first-round pick Max Meyer after he missed last season while recovering from Tommy John surgery himself.