Mets GM Jared Porter sent explicit photos to female reporter in 2016

New York Mets general manager Jared Porter sent explicit, unsolicited text messages and images to a female reporter in 2016 that included a photo of an erect, naked penis, according to a copy of the text history obtained by Mina Kimes and Jeff Passan of ESPN.

Porter, who worked for the Chicago Cubs as the team's director of professional scouting at the time, sent messages to a foreign correspondent who had moved to the United States to cover MLB. She says she ignored more than 60 messages before receiving the last obscene photograph.

He sent several images, including one of a bulge in his pants.

"(The) more explicit ones are not of me," Porter told ESPN on Monday. "Those are like, kinda joke-stock images."

He declined to comment further.

"I have spoken directly with Jared Porter regarding events that took place in 2016 of which we were made aware tonight for the first time," Mets president Sandy Alderson said in a statement. "Jared has acknowledged to me his serious error in judgment, has taken responsibility for his conduct, has expressed remorse and has previously apologized for his actions. The Mets take these matters seriously, expect professional and ethical behavior from all of our employees, and certainly do not condone the conduct described in your story. We will follow up as we review the facts regarding this serious issue."

ESPN originally obtained the messages and interviewed the reporter in December 2017. She decided not to go through with it at the time, as she believed her career would be harmed if the story was printed, according to Kimes and Passan.

She ultimately decided to come forward anonymously because she fears backlash in her home country.

"My number one motivation is I want to prevent this from happening to someone else," she said through an interpreter. "Obviously he's in a much greater position of power. I want to prevent that from happening again. The other thing is I never really got the notion that he was truly sorry."

Porter apologized after the reporter told him his messages were "extremely inappropriate, very offensive, and getting out of line."