While the New York Mets continue their search for a catcher and a right-handed center fielder, they continued to bolster their bullpen on Wednesday morning by bringing back righty Jeurys Familia on a three-year, $30 million deal, as first reported by MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo.
Familia spent the first six-plus seasons with the Mets, developing into the team’s closer in 2015 before being traded to the Oakland Athletics at the 2018 trade deadline. He ranks third in franchise history with 123 career saves, including a league-leading 51 during an All-Star 2016 season.
The 29-year-old will return to the Mets with the expectation of being Edwin Diaz’s set-up man. New York acquired the star closer alongside Robinson Cano in new general manager Brodie Van Wagenen’s first big trade with the Seattle Mariners last month.
While Diaz led the majors with 57 saves last year, the Mets bringing on Familia ensures the bullpen now has experienced depth at the back end should the new Mets closer run into injury issues. His acquisition though likely takes New York out of the running for free-agent righty Adam Ottavino, who is coming off a career year with the Colorado Rockies.
Improving a bullpen that was one of the worst in the majors last year has been a top priority for Van Wagenen this offseason as Mets relievers ranked 28th with a 4.96 ERA. The biggest disappointments in AJ Ramos and Anthony Swarzak have been shown the door, the latter being dealt to the Mariners as a part of the Diaz deal, leaving the Mets with a solid-looking unit.
Diaz and Familia will be complemented by the likes of Robert Gsellman and Seth Lugo, a pair of starters who have seen some success coming out of the pen.
Van Wagenen isn’t expected to be done addressing the bullpen this winter considering he’s looking at a right-handed-heavy group. One more southpaw to ensure the Mets aren’t relying on inexperienced arms like Daniel Zamora should be one of the last pitching targets on the GM’s list.
The most notable name the Mets have been linked with is Andrew Miller, the free-agent lefty last having played with the Cleveland Indians. He has worked with Mets manager Mickey Callaway in the past as a member of the Indians when he was their pitching coach, helping him maintain his status as one of the most dominant lefty relievers in the game.
During a four-year stretch from 2014-2017, Miller sported a minuscule 1.72 ERA, but an injury-riddled 2018 could mean he could be had at a discount, which would be right up the Mets’ ally.
Nabbing that kind of arm would make the back end of the Mets bullpen one of the most imposing in the league as Miller and Familia would split the seventh and eighth innings before handing things off to Diaz.
