Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports that Mets manager Terry Collins will not immediately use Jeurys Familia in save situations when he returns from his suspension on April 20.
Instead, Collins will ease him back for his first couple of outings before resuming his role as the team’s closer.
Familia, 27, threw eight pitches in a 1-2-3 inning for St. Lucie on Saturday and is expected to continue his rehab at Double-A Binghamton on Monday, sources told MMO.
Original Post – April 15
New York Mets reliever Jeurys Familia pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning for the St. Lucie Mets on Saturday night in their 9-5 win over the Florida Fire Frogs.
The right-hander struck out one, induced two ground ball outs and threw only eight pitches in the outing.
Familia is still serving the 15-day suspension he was given by Major League Baseball for his arrest on Halloween last year.
Familia, who led MLB with 51 saves in 2016, is eligible to return to the Mets on April 20 against the Philadelphia Phillies.
The fresh arm of Familia should help lessen the early season workload for the heavily used trio of Jerry Blevins, Fernando Salas and Addison Reed.
