The Mets’ long search for a front office executive has officially come to an end.
Billy Eppler, the former general manager of the Los Angeles Angels and Yankees executive, will join the Mets as their general manager. He got a four-year deal from the club.
The Athletic reported Monday afternoon that Eppler received the first formal offer from the Mets. Rumors circulated last week about the Mets hiring former Nationals assistant general manager and present lawyer Adam Cromie. Cromie had traction after meeting with Steve Cohen face-to-face during the GM meetings.
Eppler, owner Steve Cohen and team president Sandy Alderson each released statements regarding the hire.
“Billy has the experience, character, and respect of the baseball community that will allow him to attract the players and front office talent to lead the Mets forward,” Cohen said. “He is a leader who has worked in two of baseball’s biggest markets and his skills and personality will move us closer to my goal of sustained success.”
As for Alderson, he echoed Cohen’s chatter about Eppler’s experience, adding that the longtime scout has a “keen eye for identifying talent.”
Eppler called the job a “dream of a lifetime,” continuing, “we have a lot of work to do and will systematically begin to work toward our goal of building a perennial winner.”
New York began their search for a front office executive over a month and a half ago, cycling through more than 20 names. Originally, the Mets set out to hire a president of baseball operations but transitioned their search after their top candidates bowed out of the running.
For the Mets, it’s a reset. Cohen’s first hire Jared Porter was fired and banned from baseball through at least the end of the 2022 season after an investigation into alleged sexual harassment toward a female reporter was completed by the commissioner’s office. He was let go barely a month after the Mets hired him as GM. Interim GM Zack Scott was placed on administrative leave by the team this summer after his arrest for a DUI. The Mets and Porter decided to part ways with his legal situation not set to be settled until Dec. 8.
Eppler, 46-years-old, spent a decade in New York under Brian Cashman of the Yankees before taking over as general manager of the Angels in 2015. He remained with the Arte Moreno-owned team until 2020 when he was let go with a year remaining on his contract. He did not produce a playoff team during that time.
With the Angels, Eppler inherited a barren farm system and a payroll bogged down by the contract of Albert Pujols. Highlighting his time as GM was wooing Shohei Ohtani to sign and the record contract extension for Mike Trout. His lows include a five-year deal to Justin Upton and a seven-year, $245 million dollar deal to Anthony Rendon instead of addressing the franchise’s pitching needs.
Due to a tight payroll, the only other contract Eppler handed out north of $20 million was a three-year offer for infielder Zack Cozart.
Eppler has performed better trading for major league assets. He completed trades for Andrelton Simmons, Patrick Sandoval, Max Stassi, Tommy La Stella, Felix Pena, and Dylan Bundy. He scoured the waiver wire finding success stories in Hansel Robles and Brian Goodwin.
Additionally, Eppler is a close friend of Milwaukee Brewers executive David Stearns whom the Mets hope to hire as president of baseball operations next year.
Eppler will have to answer questions about the organization’s involvement in the 2019 death of Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs and the hiring of former Mets manager Mickey Callaway as their pitching coach before the 2020 season.
Eppler is abandoning his toe-dip into the world of being a baseball agent for the Mets. He’ll be tasked with building an immediate playoff team while continuing the growth of the Mets minor league system. Eppler struggled to find cheap pitching options under Moreno, he’ll need to reverse that if he wants success in New York.
