Theo Epstein steps down as Chicago Cubs president

Chicago Cubs president Theo Epstein announced Tuesday that he's amicably moving from the role he's held since joining the club in 2011. Jed Hoyer, who has worked for years beside Epstein with both the Cubs and the Boston Red Sox, will replace him.

Epstein is one of the most respected and successful executives in baseball, his reputation buoyed by the fact that he fielded two curse-breaking teams throughout his career — first the 2004 Boston Red Sox, who ended the franchise's 86-year World Series drought, and then the 2016 Cubs, who brought the North Side of Chicago a trophy for the first time in 108 years.

The timing of the news is somewhat surprising, since Epstein still had another year left on his contract. But it was widely believed he would depart the organization next year, and he has previously said on the record that staying in one job too long generally doesn't work out well for either side.

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The New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies are both looking to fill key decision-making roles within their franchises, but don't expect Epstein to head in either direction; he has reportedly confirmed to friends that he'll at least be taking the 2021 season off. He did reportedly add that he plans on "having a third chapter" in baseball, but there's speculation that he'd rather be part of a future ownership group than running baseball operations when that time comes. Tim O'Donnell