Mets: Matt Harvey set for rehab assignment, attempts to salvage year
Since his debut in 2013, Matt Harvey has been the New York Mets’ full-fledged ace when healthy. Thanks to a few surgeries, he hasn’t thrived on the bump the last two years. But he can still finish strong as he nears a return to the big league club.
Matt Harvey was the hero New York needed.
Deemed the “Dark Knight,” he immediately made an impact during his first few seasons with the Mets and injected hope into the franchise. The ace right-hander played a critical role in the club’s World Series run in 2015.
But after undergoing shoulder surgery last year, he’s looked more like a washed-up has-been than a dominant force on the mound. His velocity dropped and his pitches lost their effectiveness.
Harvey has a chance to redeem himself.
The 28-year-old will begin a rehab assignment Saturday for the Mets’ Single-A affiliate. There’s been no word on a pitch count, but it will likely be small, considering he’s been on the shelf since June 15.
Although New York has had a forgetful campaign thus far, it’s unclear if Harvey would have improved their chances had he stayed in the rotation. Across 13 starts, he posted a 5.25 ERA, striking out just 54 hitter: His 6.9 K/9 rate is the lowest in his career. He owns a ridiculous 6.18 FIP.
Harvey had no control either, yielding 35 walks in just 70 1/3 innings. That’s two shy of his career-high in 2015, when he allowed 37 walks in 189 1/3 innings. So yeah, that’s not promising.
But the good news is that it’s progress. Harvey is capable of having a Justin Verlander-like resurgence, learning to master the art of pitching with diminished velocity. Saturday will just be one step forward in the process, barring an injury concern.
None of this will make a difference in New York’s playoff hopes. The team is already toast, slated to finish several games behind Nationals for the division crown and the two Wild Card winners.
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Harvery’s struggles and injury stint have been just one issue among the Mets’ pitching staff. As a team, their pitchers boast the second-worst ERA in the league and fourth-worst in starting pitching.
A rotation headlined by Noah Syndergaard, Jacob deGrom, Harvey and Steven Matz looked prime to give New York yet another postseason appearance. But health has been a major concern for all of them except deGrom.
Syndergaard tossed just 27 1/3 innings before hitting the disabled list. Matz missed months before pitching in an MLB game, and has been terrible since his return. The southpaw possesses a 5.77 ERA and 1.51 WHIP across 57 2/3 innings.
The only pitcher worth talking about has been deGrom. He leads the team in wins with 13, ERA at 3.21 and strikeouts, racking up 179. Everyone else in the starting rotation has been a bust, though, including Robert Gsellman, Seth Lugo and Zack Wheeler.
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Each guy is still young, however, giving New York a chance to rebound next year. But a big question mark will linger over the team for next season, and possibly the years following.
Who is going to be healthy?