Former NL Saves Leader Signs With Arizona Diamondbacks

The Arizona Diamondbacks are hoping for a former saves leader to recapture his lost mojo and help out their bullpen this season, by signing former New York Mets closer Jeurys Familia. 

The Arizona #Dbacks, trying to strengthen their bullpen, have signed veteran reliever and closer Jeurys Familia to a minor-league contract with an invite to their major-league spring training camp.

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) January 25, 2023

It's a minor league deal with an invite to the D-Backs' spring training. If he's in the majors, Familia will receive $1.5M with a chance to make another $500,00 in performance bonuses.

After a 2022 season that saw him post a 6.09 ERA for the Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox, he went home to the Dominican Republic to play winter ball and try to revive his career.

It's been a precipitous decline for Familia since the days when he led the National League in saves. In 2016, he was the NL's most dominant closer, posting 51 saves for the Mets with a 2.55 ERA, and being named to the All-Star team. The year before, he recorded 43 saves with a 1.85 ERA.

Since 2019, he's recorded just one save, and has posted ERAs of 5.70, 3.71, 3.94 and 6.09, with a WHIP that's hovered over the 1.50 mark.

Photo: Mark Henle/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK