Boston Red Sox fans have had doubts about the team's standing in Fenway Sports Group's portfolio for years now.
John Henry, Tom Werner and the other men in charge traded Mookie Betts in 2020. The next year, FSG bought the Pittsburgh Penguins. In 2023, the same men in charge let Xander Bogaerts walk after being a member of the Red Sox organization for almost 10 years. The following offseason, they promised to spend money to make Boston better, then spend upwards of a few billion dollars to buy a stake in the PGA Tour.
After the third offseason of seemingly purposeful deception, FSG made one move that earned some respect back from Red Sox Nation — they brought in the Curse Breaker, one of the most renowned baseball minds in the league, in Theo Epstein.
Despite Epstein being a part of FSG, it's been revealed that he'll serve as a sort of liaison between FSG and the Red Sox.
On Feb. 2, Chris Cotillo of MassLive reported that sources close to key players at FSG claim that Epstein's new role exists because FSG did, indeed neglect the Red Sox for the past few seasons.
Just as fans had said all along.
Fenway Sports Group brought Theo Epstein in to serve as an advisor to Craig Breslow and the Red Sox
The sources admitted that, as FSG's portfolio grew, the organization that gave the group its name got lost in the fray. Despite his interests lying with the ownership group and not with the team specifically, Epstein was brought back to have someone thinking about the Sox all the time — Henry and Werner just got too busy with the rest of their commitments.
While the return of Epstein is a good thing for Boston fans hoping to see the Red Sox back on the map soon, they should feel vindicated after the move. The suspicions that the Red Sox weren't a top priority for FSG were correct, and FSG itself admitted it.
Couple of nuggets from @Sean_McAdam on the latest @FenwayRundown about Theo Epstein joining FSG:
— Tyler Milliken ⚾️ (@tylermilliken_) February 6, 2024
- Craig Breslow is “thrilled” about having Theo’s expertise and voice on call.
- McAdam: “I think it’s fair to say he’ll spend more time on the Red Sox than any of the other… pic.twitter.com/3KLRFJ9NLK
At Boston's "Truck Day" events on Feb. 5, Sam Kennedy spoke about Epstein's role and elaborated on his part in the ownership group. While Epstein won't be directly involved with the Red Sox's daily operations, he'll serve as an advisor and sounding board of sorts for chief baseball officer Craig Breslow.
This relationship could do wonders for the Sox in the next few seasons. Breslow and Epstein already have a quality rapport, as Epstein hired Breslow to join the Cubs. They both have confidence in each other, which is more than many Sox fans can say they have for the organization, at this point.
Theo Epstein doesn't plan to stay with Fenway Sports Group and the Red Sox forever
Kennedy didn't just offer good news to fans at Truck Day, though. He made sure to highlight that FSG was just a stop on Epstein's journey — he has aspirations that don't include staying with the Red Sox forever. Epstein is known to want to own a team or take the lead on an expansion project. Some considered him next in line for the commissioner spot when the Rob Manfred era ends.
Despite Epstein not planning on staying with the Red Sox for the long haul, his reunion with the club bodes well for it in the near future. No moves have been made yet, but it feels like someone with Bostonians' best interests in mind is finally back in some semblance of control in the front office.
FSG has admitted to its mistakes and is trying to remedy them by bringing Epstein back. Brighter days are coming for the Fenway Faithful, even if the reunion with the Curse Breaker doesn't last forever.