New York Mets have a decision to make on Matt Harvey
The New York Mets rotation is set to get crowded soon. As Jason Vargas nears his return, the Mets will need to make a decision on Matt Harvey.
The New York Mets are going to have to make a decision about their pitching staff. Jason Vargas, who has missed the first two weeks of the season with a fractured bone in his right hand, is expected to make his season debut some time this week. This leaves the Mets with a decision as to who gets moved from the rotation in place of Vargas.
In theory, that decision would have been easy, with Zack Wheeler returning to AAA after his spot start on April 11. However, Wheeler looked like the pitcher the Mets had been waiting for in that outing, allowing just one run on two hits and a walk, striking out seven over his seven innings of work.
Meanwhile, Matt Harvey, whose spot in the rotation seemed secure heading into 2018, may find himself on the outside. He fired five scoreless innings in his debut, but has struggled since. In his 15 innings, Harvey has allowed eight runs on 18 hits and three walks, including three homers. With his first outing excluded, Harvey has allowed 19 baserunners, leading to eight runs, in his last ten innings.
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While the Mets are currently saying that Harvey’s spot in the rotation is not in danger, that may not be the case for much longer. He has failed to pitch into the sixth inning in each of his last 11 outings, while watching his velocity decrease from 95 MPH in the first to 91 MPH in the second and subsequent innings. His power stuff is no longer there, at least for more than the first inning of work.
Given that decrease in velocity, it may be fair to wonder if Harvey would be better served in the bullpen. The Mets have seen former starter Seth Lugo perform well in a relief capacity, and it may be that such a change helps Harvey rediscover his form. Even though Harvey himself is resistant to such a move, the Mets are looking to win games. At this point, Harvey is not helping them in that area.
Naturally, the discussion as to what to do with Matt Harvey has a few obstacles left. Wheeler needs to show that his outing was not the result of facing the Marlins, and back that up with an excellent performance on Tuesday. Likewise, the Mets rotation needs to remain healthy, something that is not always a given.
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Should that happen, the New York Mets will have a difficult decision as to what Matt Harvey’s role should be going forward. The Mets say he is safely in the rotation, but one more bad outing could change that, especially if Jason Vargas is ready.