Mets CEO Jared Porter with the team could be on unstable ground following a report Monday night stating that he sent unsolicited texts and images to a female journalist in 2016, which culminated with a shot of an erect, naked penis.
ESPN reported that Porter, who then worked for the Cubs, sent the woman, a foreign correspondent who had moved to the United States to cover Major League Baseball, 17 photos. The first 15 photos were of a hotel and restaurants. The 16th was from a bulge in his pants and the 17th was from a naked penis.
Porter acknowledged to ESPN that he had texted the woman, but initially said he had not sent any photos of her. Presented with more evidence, he denied that the explicit images were of himself and called them “joke images.”
Porter, 41, was hired last month at the Diamondbacks as the new Mets general manager under team chair Sandy Alderson.
“I spoke directly with Jared Porter about the events that took place in 2016 that we were told about tonight for the first time,” Alderson said in a statement Monday night. “Jared has acknowledged to me his serious misconduct, taken responsibility for his conduct, expressed remorse and apologized for his actions.
“The Mets take these matters seriously, expect professional and ethical behavior from all of our employees, and certainly do not accept the conduct described … We will continue as we review the facts on this serious issue.”
According to the ESPN report, Porter met the woman in an elevator at Yankee Stadium in June 2016 and they spoke briefly, the only time they ever spoke.