CHICAGO (AP) — Theo Epstein still can’t erase the Boston Red Sox’s collapse last season from his mind.

Now the Chicago Cubs’ president of baseball operations, he says he remembers “stuff from 2003.” And what happened late last season, when he was Boston’s general manager, was the “toughest of all of them.”

The subject came up with the Red Sox visiting Wrigley Field for the first time since 2005. Epstein spoke before Friday’s game.

The Red Sox were in line for a playoff spot but missed out after going 7-20 in September, one of the worst months in club history. The collapse led to Boston declining manager Terry Francona’s option and Epstein jumping to Chicago.

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