After a brutal 2019 season — and with $22 million still owed to the right-hander over the next two seasons — New York Mets reliever Jeurys Familia made a conscious effort to come into Spring Training healthy and prepared to compete.
As told to MetsMerized‘s Pat Ragazzo earlier in the month, the 30-year-old Dominican product shed 30 pounds this offseason, which Familia linked to his poor on-field performance last season. And yes, it was poor. After signing a three-year, $30 million deal to return to Flushing last winter, Familia imploded in an astounding way.
Over 66 appearances in 2019 (60 innings), Familia pitched to a 5.70 ERA with 6.50 walks per nine innings — both fifth-worst among all qualified MLB relievers and the worst full-season metrics of his career in each category — and accumulated (if you can call it that) -0.2 wins above (again) replacement.
For the first time since 2013, Familia allowed more than one home run per nine innings (1.05). His barrel rate jumped from 3.2 percent in 2018 (96th percentile, per Statcast) to 6.0 percent last season, just barely above league average (6.3). His expected stats — in particular, his expected slugging percentage — jumped from an elite .308 xSLG in 2018 (94th percentile) to .393; again, just above average (.412).
For a guy with some of the nastiest pure stuff in baseball — Familia’s 95.9 MPH average fastball velocity ranks in the top 13 percent of the league and the 44.3% whiff rate and .306 slugging percentage against versus his slider last season is clear evidence of that pitch still being a weapon — he struggled mightily.
Though, according to the player himself, as well as some of his teammates who had the distinct pleasure of facing him on Thursday in Port St. Lucie, things are looking up for the 6’3″ right-hander.
“The point of being a good pitcher is being able to throw a pitch exactly where you want it. I think right now what I’m able to do is I’m able to locate every pitch,” Familia said (quotes via Deesha Thosar, New York Daily News). “I feel good. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this good in a Spring Training.”
Mets All-Star everyman Jeff McNeil spoke glowingly of Familia’s stuff and what his contributions could mean to the Mets this season after facing him in live batting practice on the backfields.
“He’s going to be a big part of the season. If he can get back to the old Familia, he’s going to be extremely valuable to us,” McNeil said. “His splitter came out looking like a fastball, and then it kind of just fell off the table.”
A resurgence of the guy who pitched to a 2.57 ERA over 326 appearances from 2014 through 2018 would certainly be a plus for this ball club. And if Familia’s splitter (.238 batting average against, .381 SLGA, 34.1% whiff rate last season) emerges as another effective out-pitch to pair with his slider while complementing his fastballs, it could pave the way for just that.
