Credit: Dennis Schneidler-USA TODAY Sports
New York Mets relief pitcher Jeurys Familia is pitching like it’s 2015-16, where he was setting franchise records for single-season save totals as the Amazins’ closer.
While he’s not quite back to that exact dominant form per say, he has been a very pleasant surprise given his ability to hold things down in the back end of the bullpen. That’s what the previous regime envisioned when they re-signed him to a three-year, $30 million extension in the 2019 offseason.
So far in 2021, the 31-year-old has shattered all expectations, pitching to a 0.84 ERA and 1.59 WHIP in 11 appearances. His command has been much better, issuing only three walks in his last eight innings.
Familia picked up his first win of the season in the Mets’ latest walk-off thriller on Tuesday night against the Orioles. He also recorded a huge save to secure the Mets’ comeback victory in the Rhys Hoskins “railing” game against the Phillies, and has not allowed a run since the team’s opening series back on April 6.
So how has he gotten back to a similar version of his old self? With tremendous hard work in the offseason, of course.
Work Hard, Play Harder
After an abysmal 2019 campaign, where he weighed in at 270 pounds and posted a career worst 5.70 ERA, Familia was a man on a mission during the 2020 offseason shedding off 30 pounds.
How did he do this? By hooking up with celebrity/professional athlete trainer Dave Paladino, who you might know because he is the same individual that has since helped rapper/entertainer Action Bronson and former New York Yankees pitcher C.C. Sabathia shave off a significant amount of weight and get shredded.
Paladino put Familia on a whole new diet, cutting out favorite cheat meals in fried chicken, pizza and rice and beans. Familia would go through high intensity workouts under Paladino’s watchful eye 3-4 times per week at his all-world fitness center in Norwood, New Jersey: Impact Zone Fitness and Sports Performance.
Familia’s results in the weight room helped him improve last season, where he posted a 3.71 ERA in 26.2 innings.
Fast forward to the 2021 offseason, and Familia took things a step further by channeling his inner-Tour De France by regularly cycling from an outdoor setting.
As Familia has remained focused and in tip-top shape, the hard work he has put in with Paladino has finally begun to pay off, thus prolonging his career.
Although he looked like he was done two years ago, meaning the Mets made a big mistake having re-signed him to such a large deal, Familia is out here proving that he can still provide value in the backend of a Mets bullpen that has a MLB best 1.71 ERA since April 22.
The Mets ‘pen has been stellar in the early part of the season due to contributions from the likes of Familia, who was initially not being counted on to get big outs, yet has done just that so far.
What’s even more impressive is that the bullpen has been lockdown without Seth Lugo, who is still rehabbing from offseason elbow surgery. Once Lugo comes back in the end of May, watch out for the Mets ‘pen as they will be even deeper, having another lights out option to help secure victories and hold things down late in games.
