Besides the fact he is a solid starter when he is on his game, how does former New York Mets pitcher Matt Harvey fit in the Cincinnati Reds plans? It is yet to be determined, however, the former ace turned problem child will more than likely see action in the upcoming series with Los Angeles, according to interim manager Jim Riggleman.
Per Mark Sheldon of MLB.com, “Cincinnati sent catcher Devin Mesoraco and cash to the Mets for Harvey about an hour before the two teams played each other on Tuesday night. Already in Los Angeles working out, Harvey will meet the team at Dodger Stadium on Thursday.”
The move of Matt Harvey was expected by a Mets organization that had grown tired of the day-to-day saga. Harvey would not accept a demotion to the minor leagues, all but ending his career in the Big Apple.
As Sheldon explained, Matt Harvey, 29, has been throwing and worked in a bullpen session on Tuesday. His last outing was a two-inning, five-run relief appearance for the Mets on Thursday vs. the Braves, and he was designated for assignment the following day after refusing to go to the Minors.
Harvey’s last start for New York was on April 19 (six runs over six innings) before his demotion to the bullpen.
He was anything but excited about the decision to remove him from the pitching rotation.
After being drafted in the third round of the 2007 MLB draft by the Los Angeles Angels, he was drafted again in the 2010 MLB draft by the Mets as the seventh overall pick. In his major league debut on July 26, 2012, against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Harvey set a new club record with 11 strikeouts while earning his first career victory.
Harvey had a breakout season in 2013, being selected to play in his first Major League Baseball All-Star Game. Harvey then missed the entire 2014 season due to Tommy John surgery but returned to top form in 2015, leading the Mets to the pennant.
His career, once promising during his first two seasons, has since been derailed by several injuries and ineffectiveness, including Tommy John surgery, thoracic outlet syndrome and a stress fracture in the scapula. After a 2013 magazine cover compared him to Batman, Harvey and his fans have embraced “The Dark Knight” as his nickname.
Now, with new lease on his baseball career, how will Matt Harvey fare in what is deemed a hitter’s ballpark in Cincinnati?
“Riggleman believed that Harvey, an All-Star pitcher in 2013 who has struggled to find success the past couple of seasons, could still be a starter in the Major Leagues,” Sheldon added.