Blue Jays: Mets reportedly approached Mark Shapiro to fill President vacancy

Over the last five seasons, the New York Mets have been one of the most disappointing teams in baseball. Even with a payroll that easily exceeds $150 million and star players like Francisco Lindor and Jacob DeGrom (who struggled with injuries in 2021), the Mets were unable to make the playoffs for a fifth consecutive season.

Though the blame should be shared throughout the whole organization, many Mets fans have been disappointed with the decisions of their front office. Moreover, baseball-related moves aside, the two most recent General Managers have been the subject of intense public scrutiny.

Jared Porter, whom the Mets hired in December 2020, was unceremoniously fired just 37 days after his hire after reports came out highlighting Porter’s inappropriate conduct towards a female reporter.

The Mets then selected Zack Scott to replace Porter as General Manager. However, like his predecessor, Scott’s tenure as Mets GM did not last long as he was put on administrative leave back in early September after being charged with a DWI.

Because of the disappointing baseball-related and personal decisions of their recent General Managers, Steve Cohen and Sandy Alderson (the owner and President of the Mets, respectively) have been actively looking for a more long-term solution this offseason.

After missing out on big names like Billy Beane, Theo Epstein, and David Stearns, it appears as though the Mets recently approached Blue Jays President and CEO Mark Shapiro to fill their President of Baseball Operations vacancy.

According to a recent article from the New York Post, the Blue Jays recently denied permission for the Mets to speak to Mark Shapiro. Moreover, the article notes that even if the Blue Jays granted permission, Shapiro would have been unlikely to accept the Mets offer.

It is unsurprising that the Mets turned to Mark Shapiro after missing on their first wave of candidates. Shapiro, widely respected in the baseball industry, brings a long career of success and perhaps more importantly, stability.

The Blue Jays are fortunate to have Shapiro leading their long-term project of building a sustainable winning team, and the Mets’ recent approach just further confirms Shapiro’s positive standing and image in Major League Baseball.

Having just recently signed a five-year extension, Blue Jays fans can breathe a sigh of relief as Shapiro looks committed to finishing his project of building a sustainable winner in Toronto.