As New York Mets closer Jeurys Familia awaits a ruling from MLB commissioner Rob Manfred on how long he will be suspended this season for breaking the league’s newly implemented domestic violence policy, a long-time friend of Familia’s is publicly expressing his feelings on the person in the wrong.
The friend is Yankees starter Michael Pineda, who happened to grow up with Familia in the Dominican town of Yaguate.
“I talked to (Familia) a little bit, but I don’t know for sure what happened,” Pineda told Randy Miller of NJ Advance Media. “I talked to him, but I didn’t want to talk too much about what happened. I just asked him how he’s doing. ‘How do you feel? No worries. Everything is going to be OK.'”
It was late on Halloween night in Fort Lee, N.J. when the 27-year-old Familia was arrested for domestic violence charges after his wife, Bianca Rivas, called authorities stating, “My husband had a little bit of alcohol and he’s going crazy.” On Dec. 15, charges were dropped by a prosecutor due to insufficient evidence, but MLB’s investigation on the matter is ongoing.
In 2012, Pineda had a brush with the law. He was arrested on a DUI charge in Tampa, Fl. in the midst of recovering from shoulder surgery.
“Sometimes we make a mistake,” Pineda said. “It happens for everybody … mistakes. I made a mistake, too, a couple years … drinking and driving. [Familia’s] a friend, so you feel bad for him because he’s a great guy. The guy that I know is a great person. Great person. Great guy.
“Everybody makes a mistake, so you continue your life. I hope (Familia) learns from his mistake and is smart from now on.”
In 2016, Familia recorded 51 saves in 78 games with the Mets, a franchise record.
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