The prodigal son has returned home.
Fenway Sports Group announced Friday that former Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein has joined its ownership group and will serve as a senior adviser to the company. Epstein led the front office in Boston for a decade and won two World Series titles, in 2004 and 2007, helping the organization break the Curse of the Bambino before moving to the Chicago Cubs in 2011. In 2016, the Cubs won their first World Series since 1908, making Epstein the ultimate exorcist in baseball.
“There is no question that Theo left an indelible mark on our history that represented a transformative era,” said Fenway Sports Group principal owner John Henry in a release. “Welcoming him as a member of our ownership group and in the role of senior adviser to the broader company brings with it a sense of completion. With his strategic mind, leadership, and unwavering passion for sports, Theo brings invaluable assets that will drive us forward across our diverse enterprises, especially in our sporting operations across hockey, EPL football, and baseball.”
Epstein left the Red Sox on ugly terms in 2011 but remained close with team president Sam Kennedy, who he grew up with in Brookline, Mass. He left the Cubs after the 2020 season. He joined MLB commissioner Rob Manfred’s office, where he was integral to the league’s recent rule changes, which included the introduction of the pitch clock and enlargement of bases. In his new role, Epstein will continue to serve on MLB’s competition and on-field committees in an informal capacity. He will also continue to serve as an operating partner for Arctos, a private equity firm focused on sports.
The 50-year-old is also an investor in Splash Inc., an independent provider of peer-to-peer sports strategy games, which Patriots owner Robert Kraft also backs. On Monday, Splash announced that it closed a round of funding worth $14.2 million
