Former Mets GM Billy Eppler Suspended Through World Series For Fabricating Injuries

NEW YORK — Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred suspended former New York Mets general manager Billy Eppler through the 2024 World Series on Friday after determining that he directed team workers to fake ailments to generate open roster positions.

Manfred stated that Eppler directed “the deliberate fabrication of injuries; and the associated submission of documentation for the purposes of securing multiple improper injured list placements during the 2022 and 2023 seasons.”

The so-called “phantom injured list” is believed to be widespread in baseball, but Eppler is the first to face a penalty.

Former Mets GM Billy Eppler Suspended Through World Series For Fabricating Injuries

“I fully and transparently cooperated with the MLB’s investigation, and I accept their decision,” Eppler said in a statement.

Eppler will not lose any pay as a result of his suspension. After resigning last fall on the same day MLB’s inquiry was made public, the Mets paid the remaining balance of his contract, which was slated to expire in 2025.

According to a source familiar with the investigation, Eppler’s actions involved approximately seven players. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the players had not been publicly identified.

Major League Baseball “concluded that the pattern of conduct was at Mr. Eppler’s sole direction and without any involvement of club ownership or superiors.”

Former Mets GM Billy Eppler Suspended Through World Series For Fabricating Injuries

Eppler’s suspension prevents him from working for another team until he is restored. Eppler will be able to petition for early reinstatement, the MLB announced.

The commissioner’s office did not sanction any additional Mets personnel, according to a second person familiar with the probe, who also spoke anonymously.

MLB stated that it questioned more than three dozen people during the probe. Attorney Jay Reisinger represented Eppler.

According to MLB rules, a physician must confirm an injury in the sport’s computer records. MLB decided that any additional personnel participating in the misbehaviour acted under Eppler’s direction.

Players have an economic incentive to participate in an IL stint. A player with a split contract that required different salaries in the major and minor leagues would have received at least $3,978 per day while on a big league IL last year; for many, the pay while assigned to the minors ranged from as little as $315 or $630, depending on whether they were on a 40-man roster for the first time that year.

Eppler, 48, was the Mets’ general manager from November 2021 until he resigned on October 5, three days after owner Steven Cohen appointed David Stearns president of baseball operations.

The Mets said they “consider the matter closed and will have no further comment.”

Former Mets GM Billy Eppler Suspended Through World Series For Fabricating Injuries

Eppler served as the New York Yankees’ deputy general manager from 2012 to 2014 before becoming the Los Angeles Angels’ general manager from 2015 to 2020. He joined WME Sports’ baseball representation group in September 2021 and, two months later, signed a four-year contract with the Mets, becoming the team’s eighth head of baseball operations in 13 months.

MLB’s sentence is the most serious since Houston manager A.J. Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow were suspended in January 2020 until the World Series for participating in the team’s use of a video camera to steal signs. Both were fired, and the Astros were fined $5 million. The organisation also forfeited four high-round amateur draft picks.

The Red Sox fired Alex Cora for his involvement in the Astros incident, and Manfred suspended him for the coronavirus-shortened 2020 season. Alex Cora had previously been Houston’s bench coach before becoming Boston’s manager.

Atlanta lost 13 prospects, and general manager John Coppolella was banned for life in November 2017 for violating foreign signing rules between 2015 and 2017. Coppolella was reinstated in January 2023.

SOURCE – (AP)