After last throwing an MLB pitch in 2023, Jeurys Familia is attempting a comeback to the show, according to Francys Romero.
Romero reported that Familia has been training with pitching coach Hector Berrios, who also does work with seven-time All Star Aroldis Chapman.
Dominican pitcher and free agent Jeurys Familia is working out to make a comeback to Major League Baseball. The 12-season veteran is training under Puerto Rican Hector Berrios, who also works with Aroldis Chapman. pic.twitter.com/guFlX5oSsS
— Francys Romero (@francysromeroFR) February 7, 2025
The 35-year-old signed with the New York Mets out of the Dominican Republic in July 2007. Familia worked a lot as a starting pitcher while he was a prospect in the Mets organization, but transitioned into the bullpen once arriving to the MLB in 2012.
Between his first two years with the Mets, Familia only pitched in 17 games, before sliding into a setup-man spot in 2014, with Jenrry Mejia as the teams closer.
He stepped into the closer’s role for 2015, finishing the year with a 1.85 ERA, finishing a league-high 65 games, locking down 43 saves, and helping to carry the Mets into the World Series. The Mets lost in five games to the Kansas City Royals.
Familia became an All-Star for the first time in his career in 2016, just in his second season as Mets closer. He finished the year with a 3-4 record, a 2.55 ERA, finishing a league-high 67 games, had a league-high 51 saves, and struck out 84 batters across 77.2 innings.
A few seasons later, Familia was traded to the Athletics in 2018 in exchange for two minor leaguers. After throwing in 30 games with the A’s, he re-signed with the Mets on a three-year deal. In those three seasons from 2019-2021, Familia went 15-6, posting a 4.62 ERA in 156 games, only recording one save, striking out 158 batters in 146 innings pitched.
After the 2021 season, Familia signed a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. He would be released in August 2022, and just three days later he would join the Boston Red Sox organization.
In 2022, Familia pitched in 48 games between the Phillies and Red Sox, posting a 2-3 record with a 6.09 ERA, picking up 41 strikeouts, and walking 22 batters in 44.1 innings of work.
He joined the Arizona Diamondbacks for the start of 2023, but was released before the start of the season. A day after he was released, he signed for his second stint with the Oakland Athletics. He only appeared in 14 games, posting a 6.39 ERA with two saves, striking out nine batters in 12.2 innings.
He was designated for assignment and released in May 2023. That following winter, Familia pitched in LIDOM with the Leones del Escogido, going 0-2 with a 2.35 ERA in eight appearances.
Hoping to land a contract for the 2024 season, Familia signed with the Diablos Rojos del México, part of Liga Mexicana de Beisbol (LMB). He made nine appearances, going 1-1 with a 2.00 ERA, collecting six strikeouts in nine innings. Familia was released in July.
He would also play under manager Albert Pujols with the Leones del Escogido, pitching in nine games, going 0-1, with a 4.32 ERA, with five strikeouts in eight and a thirds innings.
Now at 35, Familia is likely to land a minor league contract and will have to prove himself that he is still capable of locking down innings at the big league level.
If a team doesn’t sign Familia for Spring Training, it would be intriguing to see him pitch in an Independent League just to work some innings to show that he still has something left in the tank.
