BILLY BANNED
Ex-Mets GM Eppler suspended for ‘injury list manipulation’; no punishment for team
Billy Eppler won’t be returning to a front office anytime soon.
The former Mets general manager was placed on MLB’s restricted list Friday after the completion of an investigation into improper use of the injured list. Eppler, who led the Mets’ baseball operations efforts during the 2022 and 2023 seasons, resigned from his position Oct. 5, a few days after the completion of the season and the hiring of president of baseball operations David Stearns.
Eppler was found to have “fabricated” injuries to place players on the IL in 2022 and 2023.
“Major League Baseball’s Department of Investigations (DOI) has completed its investigation into allegations that former New York Mets General Manager Billy Eppler and other Mets employees violated MLB’s rules,” the league said in a statement. “The Mets organization and Mr. Eppler fully cooperated with MLB’s thorough review, which included interviews with over three dozen individuals, in addition to the review of relevant documents and electronic records.
“Having reviewed the results of the investigation,
Commissioner of Baseball Robert D. Manfred, Jr. announced today that Mr. Eppler has been placed on the Ineligible List beginning immediately for directing the following pattern of conduct in violation of MLB’s rules: improper use of Injured List placements, including 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 Mets will face no further discipline and no other staffers or players were named directly in the league’s report. Owner and CEO Steve Cohen was not a part of the investigation and the league determined that Eppler called the shots without ownership’s knowledge.
“MLB’s investigation concluded that the pattern of conduct was at Mr. Eppler’s sole direction and without any involvement of Club ownership or superiors,” the league said in a statement.
MLB’s department of investigations opened an inquiry into Eppler’s use of the “phantom injured list” in October after a complaint from a staffer.
It’s common for teams to utilize the “phantom IL” to give struggling players a break. An injured list transaction allows teams to hold roster spots for players who might not have minor league options and would have to pass through waivers to receive a minor league assignment. Proper documentation to verify the injury or illness has to be obtained by a team doctor, but it’s easy to find something minor like tendinitis or inflammation in professional athletes.
By suspending Eppler, the league could be signaling a crackdown on these types of transactions. Eppler will be eligible to return following the conclusion of the World Series.
The Mets will not be elaborating on the investigation. “The Mets have been informed of the conclusion of Major League Baseball’s investigation,” the team said in a statement. “With Billy Eppler’s resignation on October 5, 2023, and with David Stearns leading the Baseball Operations team, the Mets consider the matter closed and will have no further comment.”
Eppler, 48, previously worked as an assistant general manager with the Yankees before being hired as the Los Angeles Angels GM in 2015. He was fired following the conclusion of the 2020 season. The Mets signed him to a four-year contract Nov. 18, 2021.
Boston College hired Bill O’Brien to be its new head coach on Friday, luring the former Houston Texans boss back to his hometown and away from a job as an assistant on the Ohio State staff he had accepted just last month.
“Bill is a gifted leader who has had a tremendous amount of success as a head coach and coordinator at both the collegiate and NFL levels,” BC athletic director Blake James said in a statement. “His passion for teaching football and developing young men make him a great fit to lead Boston College to greater heights.”
O’Brien replaces Jeff Hafley, who left Chestnut Hill to be the defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers — a move that set off a chain of events that rippled from from Boston to Los Angeles, and from the NFL to the Big Ten.
KELLY LEAVES UCLA
UCLA coach Chip Kelly stepped down Friday after six seasons leading the Bruins, leaving the soon-to-be Big Ten school scrambling to fill a vacancy at the top of the program with spring practice about a month away from cranking up around the country.
Multiple media outlets reported Kelly was heading to Ohio State, UCLA’s future conference rival, to become offensive coordinator. Ohio State declined comment.
Buckeyes coach Ryan Day hired former Texans coach Bill O’Brien as offensive coordinator last month, but O’Brien is now heading to Boston College to become the Eagles’ head coach. Day played quarterback in college for Kelly when he was offensive coordinator at New Hampshire.
REDS INK INDIA
Second baseman Jonathan India and the Cincinnati Reds agreed Friday to a two-year contract, avoiding an arbitration hearing next week for the 2021 NL Rookie of the Year.
Selected fifth overall by Cincinnati in the 2018 amateur draft, India has hit .255 with 48 homers, 171 RBIs and an on-base percentage of .350 in parts of three seasons.
Eligible for arbitration for the first time, India asked for a raise from $760,000 to $4 million and the Reds offered $3.2 million when the sides exchanged proposed arbitration salaries last month.