Former Mets GM Billy Eppler Suspended From Baseball

The Mets are gonna Mets.

Or, at least one their former General Manager is.

Billy Eppler has been handed a one-year ban from Major League Baseball and all league activities after an investigation found that he lied about players injuries. He will be on MLB's Ineligible List through the 2024 World Series.  

MLB made the announcement after an investigation found that Eppler had ‘improperly’ used the Injured List, including the "deliberate fabrication of injuries." They add that both Eppler and the Mets were ‘fully cooperative,’ and that they believe the team and billionaire owner Steve Cohen were not aware of what Eppler was doing. (Sure, Jan.) 

Major League Baseball has banned former Mets General Manager Billy Eppler for one year of baseball after fabricating injuries. 

(Major League Baseball)

Billy Eppler was expected to be the Mets GM again this year - sharing the role with newly hired Team President David Stearns. However, days later he quickly resigned, sending Mets fans into a frenzy and the baseball world speculating that something was going on. Indeed there was, as both Eppler and the Mets became aware of MLB's investigation, with sources saying that Cohen would have fired his GM if he didn't resign on his own. 

WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL?

When players are placed on the Injured List, that means they are still legally under the team's control and can't be included in any trades. It also allows for teams to add more players to the team's official 40-day roster, which can come in handy if said player is expected to take a while to return 100%, or if he's in a rut and a team wants to try out other players in the meantime.

Anyone following baseball in recent years knows about the ‘Phantom IL’ list, which has seemingly become used more frequently by teams. Interestingly enough, back in 2019 San Francisco Giants veteran pitcher Derek Holland famously admitted that he had faked an injury and wasn't sure why he was being moved to the bullpen - claiming that it was "a decision from the Front Office" In a shocker to no one, the Giants got rid of him soon after. Can't have the guy blatantly calling out his overlords now, can he? MLB never investigated Holland's comments. 

It's unclear what was so egregious that Commissioner Rob Manfred singled out Eppler, who took over as Mets GM in 2021 after his two previous predecessors were both fired for off-the-field issues. MLB's investigation focused on Eppler's misuse of the 2022 and 2023 IL list in which they had acquired both pitching All-Stars Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, the latter of which did find himself placed on the IL List before eventually being traded in the end.

In a statement released shortly after MLB banning their former GM Eppler, the Mets said that they considered the matter ‘closed,’ and are moving forward.

They'll have plenty of other things to focus on as they will see themselves in a National League East with a World Series National League favorite Atlanta Braves, and a resurgent Philadelphia Phillies.