Theo Epstein's third chapter as an executive will not come at the helm of the New York Mets.
According to Andy Martino of SNY, Epstein did speak with Mets owner Steve Cohen, but while "the two had a good conversation," they mutually agreed that "this was not the right opportunity."
Audacy Sports MLB Insider Jon Heyman says that Epstein "ultimately desires to be part of putting together an ownership group." He added that the belief is that the Mets "still may have a legit shot" at long-time Oakland Athletics executive Billy Beane.
Still only 47 years old, Epstein was responsible for building World Series champions that shattered the two most notorious championship droughts in sports.
Epstein's 2004 Boston Red Sox team won the organization's first World Series title in 86 years, snapping "the Curse of the Bambino." The Red Sox would win another World Series three years later, before Epstein became the president of the Chicago Cubs in October of 2011. Just over five years later, a Cubs team heavy on homegrown talent won the franchise's first World Series title in 108 years.
Last November, Epstein stepped down from his position with the Cubs, but did say that he planned "on having a third chapter leading a baseball organization someday." He's currently working as a "consultant regarding on-field matters" for Major League Baseball.
The Mets are in desperate need of front office stability. Just over a month after he was hired, the Mets fired general manager Jared Porter in January after ESPN's Jeff Passan and Mina Kimes reported that the executive had sent sexually explicit images to a reporter five years prior.
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That said, the history of Porter potentially made Epstein an awkward fit for the Mets because Porter had been working in his front office with the Cubs at the time that the images were sent.
Whoever ultimately takes over as the leader of baseball operations for the Mets has their work cut out. The Mets went 29-45 in the second-half of the regular season, finishing in third place in a very winnable National League East. This offseason, Marcus Stroman, Noah Syndergaard, Michael Conforto and Javier Báez can all become free agents. Oh, and since the Mets declined the 2022 option on manager Luis Rojas' contract earlier this week, task No. 1 for the new head executive will be to find a new manager.
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