ATLANTA — It wasn’t the identical because the last-inning, highlight-reel play adopted by a standing ovation from the house crowd and emotional embraces with teammates that pending free agent Michael Conforto acquired as a possible Mets swan music. However Jeurys Familia made his personal goodbye Saturday, and the sentiment was about as robust.
Familia, whose contract additionally expires after this season, authored a heartfelt message to Mets followers and posted it on Instagram throughout what is likely to be the ultimate days of his time with the group. He stated earlier than the Mets’ 6-5 loss to Atlanta that he wrote it himself.
“I’ve no phrases to explain all my emotions for New York,” he wrote. “I do know that issues haven’t been simple however every single day that I get away from bed one of many first issues that cross my thoughts is what to do to be higher and provides the perfect to the perfect followers on the earth of baseball. The Mets group gave me the chance to see my dream come true and I’ll always remember it.
“I’ve a really giant tattoo within the depths of my coronary heart that claims Mets for all times. For the followers, regardless of all of the boos, unhealthy phrases and every thing unhealthy that they could consider me or want me, I put myself of their chair and I perceive it completely. They’ve been ready for a championship for a few years and they’ll at all times occupy an necessary area in my life.”
Though he’s not the longest-tenured Mets participant due to the July 2018 commerce to the Athletics, Familia has spent extra time with the group than anyone else, components of all 10 of his major-league seasons.
His most painful on-field moments, together with three blown saves through the 2015 World Collection, belie his spectacular observe report, which features a 3.27 ERA. He’s third on the Mets’ all-time saves record with 124 (behind Armando Benitez, who had 160, and John Franco, 276). After rising because the nearer in 2015, Familia led the majors with 51 saves in 2016, his lone All-Star season.
Familia cherished the Mets — and their three-year, $30 million provide — sufficient that he returned for a lesser function after the 2018 season, serving as a setup man for Edwin Diaz. He has a 4.62 ERA on that deal however has been a lot better the previous two seasons.
May he be again for extra? Familia, who turns 32 this month, has proven he nonetheless will be an efficient, if wild, reliever. And the need is there on his half.
“Thanks,” Familia concluded. “LGM for all times.”
Notes & quotes: Francisco Lindor collected his 1,000th profession hit, a triple towards Dylan Lee within the eighth inning . . . Robert Gsellman, who had been out with a torn proper lat since June, allowed one run in a single inning towards Atlanta, in his return from the 60-day injured record . . . The Mets optioned Tylor Megill, who made his final begin Friday evening, to Triple-A Syracuse and designated Brandon Drury for project . . . After a torn ligament in his left thumb put him on the IL 3 times in seven weeks, Tomas Nido will see a hand specialist, in keeping with supervisor Luis Rojas, who didn’t rule out Nido needing surgical procedure . . . Jose Martinez’s season led to mid-September with a lower-back drawback, which adopted points along with his knee, shoulder and hip. “We determined and he determined — it was mutual — to only shut it down for the season and work on it and rehab and see if he can get higher,” Rojas stated. Martinez didn’t play in a major-league recreation after signing a $1 million contract in January. He would possibly play winter ball, which he normally does in his native Venezuela . . . Regardless of quite a few questions on his elbow, his bizarre season, how this offseason is likely to be completely different from common and his means to choose out of his contract a 12 months from now, Jacob deGrom declined to remark Saturday.
