Familia ready to begin Class A rehab assignment
NEW YORK -- Injured reliever Jeurys Familia is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment Saturday with Class A St. Lucie. Familia, who has been on the disabled list since May 9 with right biceps tendinitis, will also pitch for Triple-A Las Vegas before returning to the Mets.
Familia has already spent two stints on the big league roster this season, most recently posting a 2.70 ERA over seven appearances from mid-April to early May.
The news is not nearly as encouraging for former closer Frank Francisco, who has not appeared in a game since cutting short his own rehab assignment on May 8. Currently battling a strain of the flexor pronator in his right arm, Francisco has not pitched in the Majors since undergoing offseason surgery to remove a bone spur from his right elbow.
The bullpen as a whole has recovered nicely without Familia and Francisco, entering Friday's play with a 0.77 ERA over its last four games. But Mets relievers still rank 28th in the Majors, due in large part to their struggles from late April through early May.