MOUND TRACK

Familia hopes to start on 2017 comeback trail soon

Jeurys Familia doesn’t have an exact target date in mind, but the Mets closer expects to return to the mound this season.

An upbeat Familia, speaking to the media for the first time since undergoing surgery to remove an arterial blood clot in his right shoulder May 12, said he’s feeling good and is eagerly awaiting a checkup with his doctor in two weeks. He will then know more about a time frame for a return.

“If everything goes well, I’ll be back this year,” Familia said before the Mets beat the Brewers 4-2 at Citi Field on Monday. “I think I’ll be back this year. I’m not sure August or September, but I feel good right now.”

Familia said doctors told him after the surgery he could begin throwing in a month. So there is a chance he may be given the go ahead after his next checkup. In the meantime, he is stretching and doing flexibility exer- cises with his right arm.

“From there, he’s going to decide what I’m going to do,” Familia said of his St. Louis-based doctor, Robert Thompson, who performed the surgery.

After serving a 15-game suspension for violating baseball’s domestic violence policy, Familia had three saves in four opportunities and a 3.86 ERA in 11 appearances before feeling numbness in his right ring finger. He told the Mets and was diagnosed with the blood clot in his shoulder, the day after allowing four runs, three earned, on two hits and two walks in a loss to the Giants. It caught him off guard.

“I thought it was something sim- ple,” Familia said. “I was surprised because I didn’t have pain in my arm.”

In his absence, the Mets bullpen has struggled mightily. Fill-in closer Addison Reed has blown two saves since Familia went to the disabled list, and the relievers in front of him also have faltered. On the season, the Mets bullpen has a 4.90 ERA, the second worst in the National League after the Nationals. And Familia can’t do anything to help for a few more months, at the earliest.

“That’s part of the game,” he said. “Nobody wants to get hurt. Nothing I can do. Just do what I’m supposed to do, try to get ready to get back this year.”