Get to know Mets GM candidate Raquel Ferreira: 'She is a star'

As the Mets' front office search continues, they have been granted permission to interview Boston Red Sox executive vice president and assistant GM Raquel Ferreira.

And SNY's Andy Martino reported on Monday that the Mets-Red Sox front office hiring freeze that was supposed to last through this offseason after the Mets hired Zack Scott last offseason is unlikely to block a potential Mets hire of Ferreira.

Scott, following his arrest on suspicion of DUI and placement on administrative leave, will not be back with the Mets in any capacity in 2022 after serving as acting GM in 2021, Martino was first to report on Monday.

Ferreira rose through the ranks with the Red Sox at the same time Scott did, with the two of them part of the front office leadership group.

Now, Ferreira is a candidate to possibly fill Scott's former role with the Mets.

Ferreira's Red Sox tenure and rise

Ferreira, who graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 1992, joined the Red Sox in 1999 as an administrative assistant. Ferreira then rose steadily through the organization, becoming the director of minor league administration in 2003.

In 2014, Ferreira was promoted to vice president of baseball administration, and she was then promoted to executive vice president/assistant general manager in 2019.

At the time of her promotion in 2019, Ferreira was the highest-ranking woman working for an MLB team.

That distinction now belongs to Kim Ng, who became GM of the Miami Marlins in 2020.

Among other accomplishments, Ferreira is credited with securing the extension that was signed by Xander Bogaerts in 2019.

"She is a star who represents everything our organization values," Red Sox owner John Henry told The Undefeated around the time of Ferreira's most recent promotion.

Theo Epstein on Ferreira

Epstein worked with Ferreira during his time as Boston's top baseball executive, and promoted her twice.

Said Epstein about Ferreira:

"She’s the most empathetic person there," he told The Undefeated in 2019. "She puts herself in the shoes of the players and understands what they must be feeling, where they came from, how foreign the organization must seem to them, what it’s like to be away from home for the first time. Not just players from the Dominican [Republic], but we draft 17- and 18-year-old high school kids [from the United States]. All of them have a significant adjustment period. Raquel does a great job of understanding that."

Added Epstein:

"As the years went on, she became the backbone of all of player development. And then, over time, she became part of the fabric of all of baseball operations. And so, her perspective, her knowledge and her wisdom were desired in every decision."

Xander Bogaerts on Ferreira

"I first met Raquel in Fort Myers at the old complex of ours," Bogaerts told The Undefeated in 2019. "She was really helpful in helping me get familiar with everyone in the organization and teaching me how to do stuff the right way. … She was like my mom away from home. She’s a very straightforward person, very honest. … She builds a trustworthy relationship from when we’re young boys until we become grown men. She is one of a kind."

Ferreira on her roles with the Red Sox

On working with minor leaguers:

"First of all, I correct them when they say mom. I prefer older sister or the cool aunt in your family," Ferreira told MassLive about the minor leaguers she has overseen. "Being a minor league player, it’s a very tough lifestyle. You’re on buses constantly for not a lot of pay. Very few of them make it to the big leagues. I’ve always looked at our players as, this is somebody’s son, somebody’s brother, somebody’s friend, somebody’s nephew. I treat them the way I’d want someone to treat my family member. It’s kind of morphed into that role."

On being herself:

"Don’t pretend to be somebody you’re not because this game will expose you very quickly," Ferreira told The Boston Herald. "Don’t come in saying you know how to operate a radar gun if you don’t, or you know how to write a scouting report.

"I always tell people to be accountable because everybody makes mistakes. That makes you human. Owning up to them earns you respect, whether you’re male or female."

On being a woman in a field made up mostly of men:

"It’s extremely frustrating because you’re always fighting stereotypes," Ferreira told The Undefeated. "People use different words to describe you. If a man comes into a room and he’s excited about something, and really fighting for something, people will say, 'Wow, he is so passionate about this topic.' If I do the same, it’s, 'Raquel, stop being so emotional.'

"You are constantly in a room with just men, and you are forever reminded of it. Even if you try and pretend to be one of the boys, or you think that you are, you will never be one of them. And it’s not bad, but you’re just not going to be and you shouldn’t try to be.

"A scout or somebody else will start talking, and they’ll curse, and they’ll say, 'Sorry, Raquel.' So I’ll say, 'Don’t f—ing worry about it.' Stop saying you’re sorry, because you saying you’re sorry just draws attention to the fact that I’m the only woman in the room, which is what I don’t want."