Harvey rejoins Mets, apologizes for skipping game
NEW YORK >> A contrite Matt Harvey rejoined the New York Mets on Tuesday and apologized to his teammates after serving his three-day suspension for skipping a game last weekend.
Harvey also apologized to fans who attended Sunday’s game expecting to see him start against Miami. Instead, he was sent home for not showing up to the ballpark for a game the night before.
Harvey was back at Citi Field on Tuesday. Before the Mets’ game against San Francisco, he expressed embarrassment for his actions over the weekend, repeatedly saying, “I made a mistake.”
He acknowledged that he went out Friday night, played golf Saturday morning and did not show up for Saturday night’s game.
“I made a mistake,” Harvey said. “I apologized. All I can do is continue to work to be better and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
“I’ve apologized to my teammates for not being here. I’ve apologized to the fans who showed up to see me throw or to see a different outcome of the game. All I can do is apologize for that, move forward, do everything I can to make sure that doesn’t happen again, and that’s what I’m going to do.”
It was latest flap for a pitcher fined for missing a mandatory team workout before the 2015 playoffs. Harvey was suspended by the team this time, effective Saturday. The penalty cost him $84,016 of his $5,125,000 salary.
“It’s my job to come here and not only be present but also to put myself in the best position to succeed professionally and on the baseball field,” Harvey said.
Mets manager Terry Collins has said he expects Harvey’s agent, Scott Boras, to challenge the discipline. Baseball’s labor contract says any punishment must be for “just cause.”
Harvey said Tuesday that he had not filed a grievance but did not rule out the possibility of doing so in the future. He said he felt terrible the last few days because of his behavior, but that “now is the time to ... really focus on baseball and focus on my team.”
The right-hander is slated to make his next start at Milwaukee on Friday night when New York begins a six-game road trip.
MLB upholds 1-game suspension for Twins’ Sano
CHICAGO >> Major League Baseball has upheld a one-game suspension of Minnesota third baseman Miguel Sano for his role in a scrap with Detroit last month.
MLB announced Sano must sit out Tuesday in Chicago against the White Sox. The punishment was levied two weeks ago but tabled pending Sano’s appeal. He was also fined.
Venezuelan major leaguers speak against crackdown back home
CARACAS, VENEZUELA >> A group of major leaguers from Venezuela is speaking out against President Nicolas Maduro’s crackdown on anti-government protests, which has left more than 30 people dead.
In a video published on social media, 13 players including Kansas City’s Salvador Perez, Cincinnati’s Eugenio Suarez and Pittsburgh’s Francisco Cervelli call on Maduro’s government to stop beating back demonstrators who for the past month have paralyzed Venezuela, pushing for the embattled socialist’s departure.
“We’re not speaking as players but as citizens who love their country,” said Cervelli, a catcher, wearing his uniform and standing in front of a Venezuelan flag.