Jeurys Familia Gets 15-Game Suspension
MLB has suspended Jeurys Familia 15 games for his domestic violence arrest. The ban is much shorter than previous penalties handed down for much more serious incidents.
Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement:
Mr. Familia and his wife cooperated fully throughout the investigation, including submitting to in-person interviews with MLB’s Department of Investigations… The evidence reviewed by my office does not support a determination that Mr. Familia physically assaulted his wife, or threatened her or others with physical force or harm, on October 31, 2016. Nevertheless, I have concluded that Mr. Familia’s overall conduct that night was inappropriate, violated the Policy, and warrants discipline.
Indeed, Familia’s wife told police that a scratch on her chest was from their baby, and that marks on her face were caused by her hands pressing on it while sleeping. Knives found in the bathroom were used by Familia to wedge the door shut, with him barricaded inside.
Still, Familia took responsibility for his actions:
With all that has been written and discussed regarding this matter, it is important that it be known that I never physically touched, harmed or threatened my wife that evening. I did, however, act in an unacceptable manner and am terribly disappointed in myself. I am alone to blame for the problems of that evening.
My wife and I cooperated fully with Major League Baseball’s investigation, and I’ve taken meaningful steps to assure that nothing like this will ever happen again. I have learned from this experience, and have grown as a husband, a father, and a man.
In a statement Wednesday afternoon, the Mets said:
The Mets fully support MLB’s domestic violence policy, the discipline handed down today by Commissioner Manfred, and the decision by Jeurys to accept his penalty without an appeal.
This seems fair. Familia’s actions do not rise to the level of Jose Reyes’s or Aroldis Chapman’s. So while Jeurys Familia definitely deserved a suspension, a shorter one was justified.