Mets Rumors: Theo Epstein, Billy Beane Targeted for Vacant Team President Position

AP Photo/Jeff Chiu

The New York Mets are reportedly aiming very high as they prepare to start setting up interviews for their vacant baseball president position. 

Per MLB Network’s Jon Heyman, the Mets hope to interview Theo Epstein, Billy Beane and David Stearns for the job. 

Tim Healey of Newsday reported last month that Sandy Alderson will “absolutely” return to the Mets as team president for the 2022 season. 

That would seem to indicate Alderson will continue to oversee the entire front office, but the Mets still need to find someone to run the baseball operations department. 

Epstein has been linked to the Mets for several weeks, with Pat Ragazzo of Sports Illustrated reported on Sept. 15 that the former Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs president will “definitely be in play.”  

The 47-year-old currently works for MLB as a consultant for “on-field matters.” He stepped down as president of the Cubs in Nov. 2020. 

Epstein has won three World Series titles during his time with the Red Sox (2004, 2007) and Cubs (2016). 

Beane has often been linked to high-profile jobs over the years, but he has yet to find one so enticing that it pulls him away from the Oakland Athletics. 

Per Shayna Rubin of the San Jose Mercury News, Beane was nearing a deal to join the Red Sox as part of his Redball Acquisitions group that was close to purchasing a 20-25 percent stake in the franchise before the deal fell through. 

Beane is currently the executive vice president and a minority owner for the A’s. He previously served as general manager for the franchise from 1997-2016. 

Stearns has been in the front office for the Milwaukee Brewers since Sept. 2015. The 36-year-old began his tenure as general manager before being promoted to president of baseball operations after the 2020 season. 

New York’s front office has undergone significant changes over the past year. Former general manager Jared Porter was fired in January after a report by ESPN’s Mina Kimes and Jeff Passan detailed a series of “explicit, unsolicited texts and images” he sent to a female reporter in 2016 while working for the Cubs. 

Zack Scott, who was named acting GM in the wake of Porter’s dismissal, was placed on administrative leave on Sept. 2 after being arrested for driving while intoxicated. He has pleaded not guilty to the charge and has a court appearance scheduled for Oct. 7. 

The Mets were one of the biggest disappointments on the field in MLB. They are currently 77-84 heading into the final day of the regular season on Sunday. They have missed the playoffs in each of the past five years.