New York Mets reliever Jeurys Familia’s recent weight loss could be key to a bounce-back season after an abysmal 2019.
New York Mets reliever Jeurys Familia set a goal this offseason: Lose some weight. That’s exactly what he did. Dropping from 270 pounds to 240, the 30-year-old lost the weight over the course of four months and feels good.
“In the first two weeks, it was hard,” Familia said through an interpreter via Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. “You had a lot of temptations. It was mostly with the food. But after that, I kind of got into a routine and was able to get it done.”
He is hoping the weight loss is going to have a positive impact on his game, especially after his dreadful 2019 season.
“You don’t have all that weight on top of you, so you’re able to finish better,” Familia said. “It’s also just being able to finish pitches the way you want.”
Familia was signed by the Mets in 2007 where he became one of the best closers in the game. The Mets would eventually trade the right-hander to the Oakland Athletics during the 2018 season. However, that following winter, to the joy of many fans, the Mets signed him to a three-year deal.
Unfortunately, his return to Queens was not what anyone expected or hoped for. In 60 innings pitched in 2019, Familia had an abysmal 5.70 ERA, 1.733 WHIP, 71 ERA+, and 4.88 FIP. He definitely contributed to the debacle that was the Mets’ bullpen, a main reason why the team missed the playoffs.
Many are focused on players such as Dellin Betances and Edwin Diaz bouncing back in 2020, but Familia needs to regain his old form as well. If he can be the Familia of old, he can play an enormous role in solidifying the back end of the bullpen and lead the team to the postseason.
