In the first public statements made by Jared Porter since his dismissal as the New York Mets' general manager nearly four years ago, he openly acknowledged the inappropriateness of his actions and affirmed that the organization had made the correct decision. This incident, which occurred in January 2021, came to light when an ESPN report revealed that Porter had sent a significant number of inappropriate text messages to a female journalist.

Understanding the Inappropriate Relationship

During his appearance on the podcast "Baseball Isn't Boring," Porter expressed his deep regret. He admitted, "It was an inappropriate relationship for a multitude of reasons. I placed myself in that predicament and made the decision to send those text messages. Clearly, I should not have done so." The texts were sent in 2016 while Porter was working for the Chicago Cubs. As per ESPN's initial report, after a brief initial exchange, the messages from Porter contained lewd and explicit content. Even though the journalist did not respond for weeks, Porter continued to send 62 messages over a period of three weeks. Eventually, the journalist asked him to stop, and she even left journalism in part due to the harassment she endured.

The Aftermath and Personal Growth

After being fired, Porter took significant steps towards self-improvement. He entered an inpatient center in a behavioral healthcare facility in Arizona called The Meadows for a week. Subsequently, he transferred to an outpatient center and attended it five days a week for eight weeks. Porter emphasized that he lacked awareness and had not set proper boundaries. He stated, "It took a major incident like this to jolt me into realizing the need for change. I still see a therapist and have attended mental wellness retreat centers with my wife to continue my journey of growth."

Short Tenure and Lack of Personal Interaction

Porter's tenure with the Mets was remarkably brief, lasting only 37 days. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, much of the business was conducted through video calls. As a result, Porter never had the chance to visit his office at Citi Field or meet Mets owner Steve Cohen in person. He understood the organization's decision when the article came out and held no ill will towards them. He firmly believed that they had made the best decision for the Mets, although he acknowledged that the situation was unfortunate.(Photo: Rob Schumacher / USA Today)