Ex-Mets GM Jared Porter finally addresses harassment scandal that led to firing

Jared Porter is finally breaking his silence.

Nearly three years after being terminated for cause as the New York Mets’ general manager, Porter has addressed the scandal that abruptly ended his tenure. Speaking on the Baseball Isn’t Boring podcast with Rob Bradford, Porter discussed the ESPN report that exposed his inappropriate behavior, which led to his dismissal and subsequent suspension from Major League Baseball.

Porter lasted a little over a month in the general manager’s role, having been a key architect in the trade that brought Francisco Lindor to Queens, a move that electrified the fan base.

However, the honeymoon was short-lived.

The Mets’ vetting process, overseen by then-team president Sandy Alderson, faced intense scrutiny after Alderson acknowledged during a botched press conference that he failed to consult any women as the organization did its due diligence on Porter.

The revelation proved damning. Reporting from ESPN’s Jeff Passan and Mina Kimes detailed Porter’s explicit and harassing texts to a female journalist in 2016, during his time with the Chicago Cubs. According to the report, Porter sent over 60 unanswered messages, including repeated invitations to meet at a hotel.

The barrage of texts eventually culminated in a lewd image.

“I just want to make this very clear that I’m speaking from a complete level of accountability for what I did,” Porter said. “It was an inappropriate relationship for a lot of reasons, both for me personally and also, of course, with the reporter. So, I want to be very accountable about that as I talk through it.

“When the article first came out, it’s crazy; just a tremendous amount of fear, shame. There were some people I reached out to. Obviously, I talked with my wife, my family and my co-workers at the time with the Mets about the situation. Yeah, it was obviously a really tough moment, but like I said, being accountable, I put myself in that situation. I made the decision to send the text messages that I sent and I certainly shouldn’t have done it. So, I just want to make sure I speak about this from a total accountability standpoint.”

Porter was the Cubs’ director of professional scouting at the time of the harassment. He met the reporter — a foreign correspondent new to the United States covering Major League Baseball — and began sending her unsolicited messages.

The journalist, who requested anonymity in ESPN’s reporting, had a limited understanding of English, which complicated her ability to respond to Porter’s unwanted advances. Despite her lack of engagement, Porter continued to send messages, totaling which eventually escalated to a photo of an erect penis.

The reporter would seek assistance to craft a firm message asking him to stop.

By the time Porter rose to prominence, the journalist had left the industry. Still, Porter was aware of the situation’s gravity when the ESPN article surfaced.

“They had to make the best decision for the New York Mets when that article came out, and I knew they would,” Porter said via the New York Post. “I hold zero ill will towards them whatsoever. I do think they made the best decision for the Mets. It’s unfortunate that I put myself and put them in that situation.”

Porter’s 45-minute appearance on the podcast was framed as a step toward accountability.

While he acknowledged his misconduct, the conversation with Bradford notably lacked a direct acknowledgment of the distress he caused the reporter. Instead, Porter focused on what he’s done since his firing to address his misdeeds, including seeking treatment at a mental health inpatient facility.

“I literally went from trading for Francisco Lindor a few weeks earlier to being at an inpatient, mental-health institute where I wasn’t allowed to have shoelaces in my shoes until I was deemed not to be a suicide threat,” Porter added.

[NYP, Baseball Isn’t Boring]