(WEEI) Former Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein is returning to the organization in the form of a part-owner, advisor to Fenway Sports Group, as first reported by Sportico on Friday morning.
Epstein had been working for MLB as a consultant, a position he will continue to have a hand in, according to the report.
With FSG, the 50-year-old Epstein will be involved in all of the company's holdings, which include Liverpool FC, the Pittsburgh Penguins, RFK Racing, TGL's Boston Common Golf, a stake in the PGA Tour and, of course, the Red Sox.
As for Epstein's involvement in the baseball side of the operation, he clarified that role when talking to Sportico, suggesting he'll serve as a "sounding board" and "executive coach" as needed.
“I’m a full believer in him and what he and his team are going to mean for the Red Sox,” Epstein said of Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, who was afforded a strong recommendation from Epstein after the 2023 season. “With the other sports, where I have a lot to learn, hopefully my experience not only with teams but with Major League Baseball and with private equity will come in handy, at least as a supportive resource for the people at FSG."
The move seems to be a step toward something many predicted for Epstein after his departure from the Cubs in 2020 — taking up a role ownership of an MLB team. Epstein was the Cubs' president of baseball operations from late 2011 until he resigned in 2020. He built the Cubs team that won the 2016 World Series, ending a 108-year championship drought.
“It’s a great honor, something I’m really excited about,” Epstein told Sportico “It’s just exciting to be joining such a dynamic, groundbreaking company across multiple sports, doing so many innovative things at the cutting edge of everything going on in sports these days. For me, it’s perfect, I was looking for a pathway into ownership.”