MATT’S A BIT MORE LIKE IT
Harvey’s fastball hits 96 mph, allowing Mets to exhale
LAKELAND, Fla. — At least we know it’s still in there. Coming off serious surgery and struggling with his velocity all spring, Matt Harvey reared back Monday and threw a sequence of pitches that showed flashes of his old self. The righthander gave up three runs on seven hits Monday, but this was the most positive start he’s had all spring. His fastball hit 96 mph, the first time this spring that Harvey’s fastball topped 94 mph, and it wasn’t the only good sign. His fastball sat at 93 mph all day, a tick up from past starts, and he maintained that into the fifth inning. His fastball showed some late life, the command was the best it’s been and his slider and curveball “were sharp,” according to a scout in the stands.
The Mets were reassured Monday that Harvey will be back to himself this season. But watching him tire in the fifth is a big reminder that they need to give him time to get there at his own pace.
There may not be enough time for him to be ready to start that first week in April.
Terry Collins seems to be preaching patience, and it’s the right idea. Monday, the Mets
manager did not commit to Harvey breaking camp with the Mets. They do not need a fifth starter to start the season, with a day off built into the first week. They could leave Harvey behind to work in Florida and start him in the second turn through the rotation.
“Again, until the next two outings, we’ll see how he does,” Collins said. “If he continues to improve with the location of his pitches, if he does that, he’ll be fine.”
There was a big moment Monday where you could almost hear the Mets’ sigh of relief when they truly believed he will be fine.
In the third inning, on his 50th pitch of the afternoon, Harvey fired in a fastball at 95 mph to starts off Nicholas Castellanos. Then he pumped in another at 96, followed by another at 95 before getting him out on a fly ball. Even Harvey admitted to some relief. “Everybody has been talking about that and it was nice to go out there today and kind of dial it up a little bit to the mid 90s,” Harvey said. “I think definitely was excited after last start, I kind of felt a lot better on the mound and that I can let it go. This past bullpen between starts it felt really good. Definitely a positive moving forward.” There is still a long way for Harvey to go. He went 4.1 innings allowing three runs on seven hits, including James McCann’s homerun to deep left field. He walked one and struck out four on 74 pitches, 53 for | strikes. He got ahead of Brendan Ryan 0-2 before leaving a fastball up over the plate for a two-run single in the fifth, his last batter of the day.
“I kind of looked up and realized how many pitches I had and it’s been a long time since I’ve thrown into the fifth inning,” Harvey said. “Overall, I’m excited. The ball is definitely coming out better for me and I made a lot of good pitches and unfortunately last inning I didn’t.”
Monday was a good sign that Harvey is closer and a reminder how much of a battle it is to get back.
Shut down last July after being diagnosed with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, which compresses the blood flow and nerves from the shoulder to the arm, Harvey’s in a relatively rare rehab process. He had surgery to remove a rib to allow for better circulation in the arm and hand. Pitching coach Dan Warthen feels that pitchers generally do not rebuild their shoulder strength and regain their velocity until 10 months after TOS surgery. MThat would be late May for Harvey. onday there was the first possibility to get excited about Harvey this spring and the Mets were. When he walked back in after the third inning, the coaches told him that he had hit 96 mph for the first time this spring.
“That’s always good,” Harvey said of knowing that he can reach back and find some heat.
But the Mets can’t get too excited yet. They know it’s still there for Harvey, but everyone needs to be patient until he can find his way back completely.