Former Mets GM Suspended Throughout 2024 Season

Due to violations of IL rules, Billy Eppler has been banned until the conclusion of the 2024 World Series.

Former New York Mets general manager Billy Eppler will be out of baseball for the upcoming season.

On Friday, Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred announced that Eppler has been placed on the Ineligible List for the entirety of the 2024 season due to manipulation of injured list guidelines. MLB Network insider Joel Sherman was the first to report the suspension.

Commissioner Rob Manfred announced that former Mets GM Billy Eppler has been placed on the Ineligible List through the conclusion of the 2024 World Series for violation of injured list rules in 2022-23.

— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) February 9, 2024

MLB's investigation of Eppler's misuse of the IL included the discovery of fabricated injuries and submissions of false documentation, which spanned the Mets' past two seasons. The investigation was the reason behind Eppler's resignation as Mets GM on October 5, 2023, after serving two years of a four-year contract.

Additional information from Deesha Thosar of Fox Sports revealed that MLB's investigation concluded that the pattern of conduct was solely from Eppler, and that team owner Steve Cohen or other team superiors were not involved in the IL violations. As such, no further discipline will be delivered on the Mets organization, according to SNY's Andy Martino.

MLB has placed Billy Eppler on the ineligible list through the 2024 season for:

-Improper use of injured list placements, including the deliberate fabrication of injuries.
-The associated submission of documentation for the purposes of securing multiple improper injured list…

— Deesha (@DeeshaThosar) February 9, 2024

Eppler was hired as Mets GM on November 18, 2021; in two seasons, the Mets totaled a record of 176-148. This included a 101-61 record and a postseason appearance in 2022.