Billy Eppler, groomed by the Yankees before sitting and failing in hot seat for the Los Angeles Angels, was offered the Mets’ GM job on Monday, Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic reported. The job will be Eppler’s if the sides work out contract terms, Joel Sherman of the New York Post added.
If Eppler gets the job, this would end a frustrating search for the Mets, who have been spurred by about 10 top candidates to replace acting GM Zack Scott, who was fired on Nov. 1 after being placed on administrative leave in September due to a DUI arrest. Big names who passed on the Mets included Theo Epstein and Billy Beane. Brewers GM David Sterns wasn’t available.
Eppler, 40, was with the Yankees from 2014-15 — the last three as assistant GM — before getting the Angels’ GM job in 2015. The Angels had a winning season in his first year, but followed with five losing campaigns in a row, resulting in Eppler’s firing the COVID-shortened 2020 season.
“Didn’t work in Anaheim for a lot of reasons but Mets GM-to-be Billy Eppler is well-regarded around baseball,” SNY baseball analyst John Harper tweeted. “Like all execs these days, he’s up to speed on analytics, but I like that he has deep scouting background (and) has a feel for evaluating players.”
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Other baseball news early this week, besides the Rookie of the Year awards going to Rays outfielder Randy Arozarena in the American League and Reds second baseman Jonathan India in the NL, included a report by MLB Network analyst Jon Heyman that the Yankees already have had talks with “all” of the top first basemen on the free agent market. The biggies include Yankees’ summer trade pickup Anthony Rizzo and 2020 NL MVP/Braves mainstay Freddie Freeman.
Here is the latest on the MLB rumors and news:
MATT OLSON, 1B
Club: Oakland Athletics.
Age: 27 (28 on March 29, 2022).
2021 stats: Athletics: .271 average, 565 AB, 101 runs, 153 hits, 35 doubles, 39 HR, 111 RBI, 4 SB, 88 BB, 113 K, .911 OPS, 156 games.
The latest: While the Yankees had preliminary contract talks with the likes of Freeman and Rizzo, it’s believed their No. 1 first base target is Olson, who would bring lineup balance as a left-handed power bat as well as tremendous defense and two years of team control. The potential problem, MLB Network analysts Mike Lowell and Buck Showalter suggested on MLB Tonight, is the Yankees and Athletics agreeing on a return for Olson. The price tag will be very high, but will the Yankees be willing to part with three or more of their best prospects to intrigue Oakland (shortstop Oswald Peraza, pitcher Luis Gil and outfielder Everson Pereira) or push players that they’re down on (Cliff Frazier, Miguel Andujar, Deivi Garcia)? “My only hang up with Matt Olson is it would be a trade and I’m not sure the Yankees are deep enough or want to take out of their trail of guys,” Lowell said. “Money they have. Sometimes it’s easier to pay someone than to give up prospects.” Added Showalter, “It’s funny how you say, ‘All they’ve got to do is trade this guy, this guy and this guy.’ But wait a minute. That club doesn’t want them and you can’t make that trade. Other clubs got to like them.”
* * *
FREDDIE FREEMAN, 1B
Status: Free agent.
Age: 32 (33 on Sept. 12, 2022).
2021 stats: Braves, .300 average, 600 AB, 120 runs, 180 hits, 25 doubles, 2 triples, 31 HR, 83 RBI, 8 SB, 3 CS, 85 BB, 107 K, .896 OPS, 159 games.
The latest: The Yankees, Angels and Dodgers could become the top backup plans for Freeman if he doesn’t re-sign with the Braves, Robert Murray of Fansided.com reported. Murray wrote that “the floor for Freeman’s new deal has always been (Cardinals first baseman) Paul Goldschmidt’s five-year, $130-million contract.” Interestingly, Murray added, “the Dodgers are a logical landing spot if they move Max Muncy to second base, but with five high-profile free agents of their own, such a scenario feels unlikely.”
* * *
MANNY PINA, C
Club: Atlanta Braves.
Age: 34 (35 on June 5, 2022).
2021 stats: Brewers, .189 average, 180 AB, 27 runs, 34 hits, 5 doubles, 13 HR, 33 RBI, 22 BB, 38 K, .732 OPS, 75 games.
The latest: After six seasons with the Brewers, Pina is headed to the World Series champion Braves on a two-year, $8-million deal that includes a $4 million club option for 2024 to share the catching duties with starter Travis d’Arnaud until No. 2 prospect Shea Langeliers is ready. The ninth-overall pick of the 2019 draft, Langeliers finished the 2021 season playing five Triple-A games after batting .258 with 22 homers in 92 Double-A games.
* * *
EDUARDO RODRIGUEZ, LHP
Club: Detroit Tigers.
Age: 28 (29 on April 7, 2022).
2021 stats: Boston Red Sox, 13-8, 4.74 ERA, 32 games, 31 starts, 157.2 IP, 172 hits, 47 BB, 185 K.
The latest: The Tigers outbid the Blue Jays, Angels and Red Sox, among others, to sign Rodriguez on Monday for $77 million over five seasons, MLB Network analyst Jon Morosi reported. Rodriguez, who hit the open market after rejecting an $18.4 million qualifying offer from Boston, will head a young Tigers’ rotation that includes three 2021 rookies – Casey Mize (7-9, 3.71), Tarik Skubal (8-12, 4.34) and Matt Manning (4-7, 5.80). One of the draws for Rodriguez to Detroit was Tigers assistant pitching coach Juan Nieves, who was Rodriguez’s pitching coach in Boston for the first part of his rookie season in 2015.
* * *
LUIS ROJAS
Club: Yankees.
Age: 40 (41 on Sept. 1, 2022).
2021 stats: Managed Mets to 77-85 record.
The latest: Showalter applauded the Yankees hiring Rojas on Monday to be their new third base coach. “Good baseball man,” Showalter said on MLB Tonight. “Always liked him. And I think he’ll manage again. I’ve been watching him from afar. I love his path … where he’s been, what he’s done, his body of work.” The son of former big league outfielder and manager Felipe Alou, Rojas was fired by the Mets after two losing seasons. For the Yankees, Rojas will succeed Phil Nevin, who was fired after three seasons. “I think he’ll fit in there,” Showalter added.
CHRIS TAYLOR, OF/INF
Club: Los Angeles Dodgers
Age: 31 (32 on Aug. 29, 2022).
2021 stats: Dodgers, .254 average, 507 AB, 92 runs, 129 hits, 25 doubles, 4 triples, 20 HR, 73 RBI, 13 SB, 1 CS, 63 BB, 167 K, .782 OPS, 148 games.
The latest: Taylor is planning to reject the Dodgers’ $18.4 million qualifying offer and become a free agent, Heyman reported. His landing spot? Lowell predicted Taylor would be the next name free agent to sign and wind up with the Phillies. “He checks a lot of boxes for a team that wants athleticism, a little energy, versatility,” Lowell said. “Chris Taylor makes a lot of teams better. I’m eying the Phillies”
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Randy Miller may be reached at rmiller@njadvancemedia.com.
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