Billy Eppler walked into Buck Showalter’s office about 45 minutes before first pitch Monday night to tell him he had been suspended for a game because of Yoan Lopez throwing inside to Kyle Schwarber a night before. 

The Mets manager first thought his GM was kidding, but then did what he needed to do to alert his players and coaches of the change in plans with little time to spare. 

“I don’t know if competitively speaking, if the timing was fair to the New York Mets,” Showalter said Tuesday at Citi Field. 

The Mets went on to lose to the Braves 5-2. 

Because the discipline from MLB was handed out so late in the day, Showalter was given the option to serve the suspension either Monday night or during one of the games in Tuesday’s doubleheader. Showalter ultimately chose to serve it Monday night, with Chris Bassitt on the mound, instead of one of Tuesday’s games when bullpen strategy would take on added importance in the doubleheader. 

Showalter was also hit with an undisclosed fine as a result of Lopez throwing two inside pitches to Schwarber on Sunday night that MLB deemed “intentional” after Francisco Lindor had been plunked an inning earlier. 

Asked about the reasoning for his suspension, Showalter declined to get into specifics. 

“I don’t think they want me broadcasting that,” he said. “Obviously I made a call. Tried to see about what my options were. … I was told that was my appeal, the phone call.” 

The Mets have been hit by an MLB-high 21 pitches through 24 games. None of their opponents have been disciplined for those pitches, though the Cardinals’ Nolan Arenado and Genesis Cabrera were suspended for their roles in the benches-clearing saga last week that came after J.D. Davis got hit and Lopez threw up-and-in to Arenado. 

“It’s funny, we’re the guys that have been hit and we’re the ones getting punished,” Showalter said with a chuckle. “It’s kind of strange. I have some personal private thoughts, probably doesn’t do anybody any good to air it.” 

Lopez was also fined and suspended for three games, which he will have to serve whenever he is recalled to the major leagues. The right-hander was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse on Monday before the discipline was handed out. But Showalter admitted that Lopez’s pending suspension “could be” a barrier to calling him up again. 

“How do you call up somebody that can’t pitch?” Showalter said.