In January of this year, revelations about Jared Porter’s harassment of a female reporter surfaced not long after he was hired as the Mets general manager. The news brought issues of sexual harassment in baseball into the spotlight, prompting questions not only about the Mets’ hiring process, but about accountability throughout baseball — a process that is still very much in the beginning stages. Once Porter’s sexual misconduct was made public, he was fired by the Mets, just weeks after his hiring date.
Major League Baseball began an investigation into the case at that time, and today announced that Porter has been placed on the league’s ineligible list. Porter will be eligible to apply for reinstatement following the 2022 season. Those are, of course, the official terms; it would seem highly unlikely that Porter has much of a future in baseball, even if he is eventually reinstated.
Commissioner Rob Manfred released the following statement: “My office has completed its investigation into alleged inappropriate conduct by Jared Porter. Having reviewed all of the available evidence, I have concluded that Mr. Porter violated MLB’s policies, and that placement on the Ineligible List is warranted. We are committed to providing an appropriate work environment consistent with our values for all those involved in our game.“
