New York Mets pitcher Jeurys Familia was arrested early Tuesday morning on a charge of domestic violence, according to The Record.
Familia was arrested by police in Fort Lee., N.J., where he resides with his wife and a 1-year-old son. According to the police report, the victim had a scratched chest and bruised cheek. A particularly embarrassing part of the story is Familia was part of an ad campaign where he spoke out against domestic violence.
Familia was living with his wife, Bianca, and their 1-year-old son, Jeurys Jr., in a Fort Lee apartment, according to previously published reports. He was the Mets’ top relief pitcher and a member of the National League All-Star team this year, and was part of an ad campaign that began last month featuring local professional sports celebrities condemning domestic violence.
A native of the Dominican Republic, Familia spoke in Spanish on the video, saying he was a fan of baseball and of the Mets, and adding: “I am not a fan of domestic violence.”
The Mets said they are aware of the arrest, so now we wait to see how they handle it. Familia is 27 years old and one of the best closers in the game, and if sports has taught us anything, an athlete’s off-the-field problems are only as serious as his value on the field. If he were a middle reliever with a career ERA of 4.65, this is the part of the story where you’d read about the Mets releasing him. But if Greg Hardy can wind up with a new team and Josh Brown can survive two months, Familia’s fate probably isn’t sealed.
