New York Mets: Will Matt Harvey’s Time in the Big Apple End in a Trade?
By Tim Boyle
Will Matt Harvey finish out his 2018 season with the New York Mets or should we expect a trade?
The New York Mets are unlikely to field a championship team in 2018. Even if their pitchers manage to fend off the ever present injury bug, the offense isn’t going to do them many favors.
Due to this and other factors, starting pitcher Matt Harvey is most definitely a trade candidate next year. Of course, first he needs to have a contract tendered to him. Current speculation is that they will indeed offer him a deal. Assuming they do, will the Mets pull the trigger and deal their longest-tenured ace or has he completely ruined all trade value?
It seems that the magical 2015 season was the one opportunity the Mets had to make the most of their stellar pitching staff. Unfortunately, they ran into the championship-hungry Kansas City Royals. Even with amazing pitchers available, the Mets were no match for the Royals’ chemistry.
Harvey is the most likely of the aces to get dealt. This is because his contract expires after 2018. Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard have also pitched far better than the Dark Knight in recent seasons. So, if anyone breaks up the band, it’s Harvey.
How will Harvey’s time with the Mets end?
There is no doubt Harvey opens 2018 with the Mets. Nobody would meet their demands this offseason for a guy coming off a career-worst year featuring a 5-7 record and 6.70 ERA.
By mid-year, many teams could come calling. This all depends on how well Harvey can rebound in the first half.
Rental players are far more likely to end up in a small market at the trade deadline than in the offseason. Even a budget conscious team knows they can’t let a championship pass by for a few million dollars. Because of this, the door for Harvey suitors is wide open.
Harvey is the type of pitcher a team like the Oakland Athletics would target to bolster an inexperienced rotation just as much as the Los Angeles Dodgers would add him for depth. That’s the beauty of the trade deadline; everything becomes possible.
Next year is Harvey’s age 29 season in a career that has completely fallen off the rails. Injuries have certainly played a factor in his regression, but it’s still no excuse for two straight terrible seasons.
Harvey is no longer the name-brand starter he once was. If he gets traded next year, it’s all about what he is doing and not what he has accomplished. Harvey’s resume is irrelevant at this stage. Anyone who wants him must put all of their stock in the present tense and not the past.
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Beyond 2018, Harvey’s future looks bleak. It’s quite possible the only way he stays in MLB is in a bullpen role. This is largely dependent on how healthy he can stay and what his numbers look like at the end of next year.
The best thing the Mets can hope for is a productive season from Harvey in 2018. Since they’re unlikely to extend him regardless of his performance, Harvey’s 2019 year will begin in a new uniform.