After being suspended for the first 15 games of 2017, New York Mets closer Jeurys Familia made his season debut tonight in Florida.

Currently suspended New York Mets closer Jeurys Familia made his first 2017 appearance in extended spring training with the Mets’ High-A affiliate, the Port St. Lucie Mets.

Familia pitched a scoreless seventh inning in the game, allowing no baserunners and striking out one, giving him a hold on the evening.

Familia was recently suspended, without pay, by MLB commissioner Rob Manfred for 15 games stemming from a domestic violence incident involving the Dominican-born pitcher and his wife, Bianca Rivas, last fall.

The simple assault charge that was once aimed at Familia, after police were called by Rivas to his Fort Lee home, was dropped by the court not long after that night at the request of his wife.

Familia is tentatively expected back from his MLB-forced hiatus on April 20.

The Mets’ temporary closer replacement in Addison Reed has performed admirably in Familia’s stead, producing three saves over seven 1.29 ERA innings of work, during which he has walked none and struck out seven.

 

Chris recently graduated with a Journalism degree from Montclair State University. Baseball is his love and he hopes to bring back some of the old-school popularity to the game. Chris Thompson covers the NY Jets and NY Mets for Elite Sports NY. You can interact with him on Twitter @Time2Topher.