The rise of a Phoenix from the ashes—that’s Billy Eppler’s story in a nutshell. Just when he had a strong 2022 season with the Mets, hoping to make it further, he got suspended. Now, when Eppler thought to have lost from the MLB circuit, he came back stronger than ever. Reportedly, the Brewers hired him as a special advisor starting this year. Will Eppler be able to recreate the magic he was known for?

Eppler was at fault while serving as general manager of the Mets, a position he held from just after the 2021 season to just after the 2023 season ended. For the great portion of his career, Eppler served as the team’s head of baseball operations. With the strategy of keeping fit players off the active roster, the Mets can maintain club control over non-injury players by keeping them on the injured list (IL) rather than risking losing them to other organizations. Well, that was termed illegal, and Eppler was handed a full-year suspension for 2024.

Now, he is back to the business, and the veteran GM will look after the scouting and baseball operations of the Brewers. According to the New York Post, he is all set to work under the Brewers’ GM, Matt Arnold. The Mets finished 101-61 under Eppler and qualified for the NL wild-card playoffs in 2022, but after starting the season with a $355 million salary, they fell to 75-87 the following year. Thus, in the past, Eppler’s clubs have not been very successful. His two years as general manager of the Angels ended without any postseason trips before joining the Mets. It would be interesting to watch how his stint with the Brewers goes ahead.

Can Eppler bring big names to his Brewers chapter as he did with the Mets?

Leaving past the suspension, Billy Eppler is all set to start his new journey with the Brewers. They had a good season last year, finishing first in the NL Central with a 93-69 record. However, this off-season, they have lost a few good names from their roster while not making enough noise in getting a few. Thus, a new-look Brewers got to play this year. For the unversed, the Brewers have lost Corbin Burnes, Brandon Wooruff, and Devin Williams, and guess what? The Brewers need a few big names.

They have a few future stars in the making, like Jackson Chourio and Christian Yelich, but what about a few established stars?. While in the Mets, Billy Eppler was credited for getting Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander to the team. With Eppler now on the team, the Brewers might expect the same thing this year. There are few free agents left in the market, but a few surprises can be made with trading. If Eppler can stay for the long term with the team, the Brewers would surely make a splash in the next off-season. 

The 49-year-old has a lengthy history of high-level front office work, and his decades of experience make him a key asset for the Brewers heading into the 2025 season, despite his fairly mediocre record.

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