Theo Epstein is officially returning to the Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox, in dire need of some positive juice after what’s been a horrendous offseason in the court of public opinion, are turning back to the man who helped deliver the club’s first championship in 86 years.
Theo Epstein, the man who served as Boston’s front office head from 2003 through 2011, is officially returning to the organization, and more specifically to Fenway Sports Group, in a senior advisor and ownership role.
News of Epstein’s return to the Red Sox was first reported by Sportico.
Breaking: Former Red Sox GM Theo Epstein is returning to Boston as a part owner of Fenway Sports Group and a senior advisor.
— Sportico (@Sportico) February 2, 2024
More info: https://t.co/BY1D76M0Hz pic.twitter.com/S6OLBUOmCS
“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.”
Most recently, Epstein has served as a consultant with Major League Baseball, and his last experience in a front office role came with a nine-year run in Chicago, where he helped build the Cubs team that captured the 2016 World Series.
Epstein’s Chicago tenure also included the hiring of Craig Breslow, who is now with the Red Sox as the club’s chief baseball officer, a title previously held by Chaim Bloom.
The return to Boston for Epstein is not directly involved in the baseball ops role that many hoped for when the Red Sox first began their post-Bloom search for a new voice, but it does give the organization a heavy voice in their room, which may be what they need to right the ship and get the club back to acting like the Boston Red Sox.
Under Epstein, there was a healthy medium of sorts when it came to the organizational philosophy, as the Red Sox spent money on premium talents and developed what was a strong prospect pipeline. Recent iterations of the Red Sox have tried to convince the masses that it’s simply not possible to accomplish both at the same time. Epstein himself would disagree with that notion, and it’ll be interesting to see if actions follow.
After back-to-back fifth-place finishes, the Red Sox are entering the 2024 season looking to avoid their first stretch of finishing the year fifth in the division or worse since a three-year span from 1992 through 1994.