Marlins Hire Peter Bendix as President of Baseball Operations
By Associated Press | Nov 13, 2023, 05:24 PM ET
MIAMI — In a surprising move, Peter Bendix has left the Tampa Bay Rays to join the Miami Marlins as their new president of baseball operations. Bendix, who had spent his entire 15-year career with the Rays, was formally introduced by the Marlins on Monday.
Bendix, who started as an intern with the Rays in 2009 and worked his way up to become the team’s general manager, had never planned on leaving Tampa Bay. However, the Marlins’ offer and the alignment of principles with Miami’s chairman and principal owner Bruce Sherman convinced him to make the career change.
“I had a phenomenal situation with the Rays, been there for 15 years, had a lot of success, worked with phenomenal people,” Bendix said. “But this opportunity with the Marlins felt like the perfect fit.”
The Marlins conducted an extensive search for their new leader and Bendix emerged as one of the top candidates. He will take over the department previously overseen by Kim Ng, who left the organization last month after disagreements with Sherman over the department’s structure.
Ng played a key role in constructing a roster that led the Marlins to their first playoff appearance since 2020 and their first full-season playoff berth since their 2003 World Series win. Despite their recent success, the Marlins struggled offensively last season, recording the sixth-fewest hits and fifth-fewest runs in the league.
Bendix, a graduate of Tufts University, brings a wealth of experience from his time with the Rays. Tampa Bay has been a model of consistent success, making the playoffs in each of the past five seasons and boasting the fourth-best regular-season record in baseball during that span.
One of the keys to the Rays’ success has been their ability to compete with a lower payroll compared to other teams. Bendix hopes to replicate some of that success with the Marlins, who are also not among the league’s big spenders.
“We’re not going to be the 29th payroll,” Sherman said. “We want to bring the same level of success that Tampa Bay has achieved over multiple years.”
Bendix’s philosophy on roster construction centers around constant evaluation and a commitment to improvement. He believes in trying new strategies, not being afraid to fail, and maximizing every aspect of the organization.
As Bendix takes the reins of the Marlins, he inherits a team with strong pitching but in need of offensive firepower. The Marlins do have the National League batting champion Luis Arraez, who has expressed interest in a long-term contract.
With Bendix at the helm, the Marlins hope to build on their recent success and continue their journey towards becoming a perennial contender in the league.