MIAMI -- Now that the non-tender deadline has passed, Marlins general manager Kim Ng quipped on Thursday morning that she was able to sleep in a little longer.

“I can tell you I got to sleep in ‘til 5:30 this morning,” Ng said on a media Zoom call. “I’m not a big coffee drinker, but I’ve had to dip in there these past couple of weeks.”

Early wakeup calls have become common for Ng as she’s hit the ground running since being named general manager on Nov. 13. As Ng gets up to speed, learning the ins and outs of the Marlins, she also is gearing up for the virtual Winter Meetings, which begin next week.

The Wednesday non-tender deadline was viewed as a significant date on the offseason calendar because it has filled the free-agent market with more players. The remainder of this month and January should produce more roster activity as the Marlins prepare for Spring Training to begin in February.

“It’s been a lot of deep diving, I can tell you that much,” Ng said.

Since being named the first woman GM in MLB history, Ng has tirelessly watched videos of players and participated in numerous staff meetings.

“I’m really trying to get to know these players, as well as others who have come up on the radar, in terms of trades, and other transactions,” she said.

“I’m definitely getting their perspective on what’s happened over the last couple of years and where they think we’re going in the future.”

Ng on Thursday addressed several key issues ahead for the Marlins.

Top priority?
Beefing up the bullpen is Miami’s greatest area of need. Closer Brandon Kintzler and setup right-hander Brad Boxberger are now free agents, and Ryne Stanek was non-tendered on Wednesday.

“Probably our glaring spot that we need to focus on is the bullpen,” Ng said. “We lost several guys out of the bullpen, and we need some help back there. That’s first and foremost.”

Adam Cimber, who is a submarine-style right-hander, is a new addition. The Marlins acquired him from the Indians on Monday for cash considerations. Still, the team seeks more options, including a closer.

Signing Aguilar and Cooper
Without the guarantee of a designated hitter in the National League in 2021, there had been speculation the Marlins wouldn’t be able to keep both Jesús Aguilar and Garrett Cooper.

Such talk was put to bed on Wednesday when the Marlins reached agreement on one-year contracts with Aguilar ($4.35 million) and Cooper ($1.8 million). Both are first base and DH candidates.

“We’ve got two very capable bats in Cooper and Aguilar sitting at first base and DH, if we need,” Ng said. “We would like to have some clarity on the [DH] matter, but at this time we just don’t. It’s better to be over-armed in that area than under-armed.”

Catching clarity
Let the catching competition begin. The Marlins are prepared to give Jorge Alfaro and Chad Wallach a shot to win the starting spot in Spring Training.

Alfaro had a disappointing 2020, hitting .226 in 31 games. Wallach, regarded more for his defensive skills, hit .227 in 15 games. The Marlins used Wallach in the playoffs, largely because of his handling of pitchers.

“Last year, Alfaro probably wasn’t where we had hoped he would be,” Ng said. “But I think that we were very fortunate having Wallach to pick up some of the slack.

“I would say at this point we’re hoping both will come into Spring Training ready to go, and we’ll make decisions then.”

Per Statcast’s framing metric, Wallach had a strike rate of 45.8 percent, with Alfaro at 41.3 percent.

Brian Anderson contract extension
One of the faces of the franchise, Brian Anderson was a Gold Glove finalist at third base in 2020. He also led the team in home runs (11) and RBIs (38) in 54 games, and is reaching his prime.

Arbitration-eligible for the first time, Anderson was tendered a contract on Wednesday. But, for now, it doesn’t appear likely the Marlins are ready to consider a contract extension for the 27-year-old.

“In terms of Brian, I have not spoken to his agent yet,” Ng said. “I would say, I’d personally like to see how this year goes before we venture down that road, so I have a better understanding of who he is as a player, and I just get a better sense of the situation.”