New York Daily News

SEE YA BOY BLUNDER!

Gotham can finally rest easy as Mets dump disastrous Dark Knight

- — Justin Tasch

Matt Harvey is dumped by Mets on Friday after refusing to go to minors, then Amazin’s can’t rally vs. Rockies in 8-7 loss.

BATMAN & JOKER

Matt Harvey’s 7-year run in NYC never lacked for drama. He burst onto the season as a dazzling power pitcher and earned the moniker The Dark Knight, which he embraced in full force. But missteps off the field and with Mets brass pockmarked his career. Here’s the Best and Worst of his time with Mets.

BEST

July 26, 2012: In his major-league debut, Harvey threw 51/3 shutout innings with 11 strikeouts, a new Mets record for a pitcher making his MLB debut. May 20, 2013: Harvey appears on the cover of Sports Illustrate­d, which says “The Dark Knight of Gotham.” July, 2013: Harvey continues to get maximum exposure as he bares all for the “Body Issue” of ESPN The Magazine. Of course, considerin­g some of the flak he got from teammates and on social media, this could have been a lowlight as well. July 16, 2013: Harvey, 24 years old at the time, gets the kind of grand spotlight he relishes, receiving the nod from Bruce Bochy to start the All-Star Game at Citi Field after going 7-2 with a 2.35 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 147 strikeouts in 130 innings during the first half of the season. Harvey would later finish 4th in the NL Cy Young voting. 2015 season: Returning from Tommy John surgery, Harvey goes 13-8 with a 2.71 ERA and 188 strikeouts. That’s the only time Harvey has registered doubledigi­t wins. Oct. 12, 2015: In his first career postseason start, Harvey earns the win in Game 3 of the NLDS against the Dodgers in Flushing, giving up three runs (two earned) in five innings with seven strikeouts to put the Mets up 2-1 in the best-of-five series. Oct. 17, 2015: Harvey allows two runs in 7 innings with nine strikeouts to earn a win in Game 1 of the NLCS against the Cubs. Nov. 1, 2015: For eight innings at least, Harvey dominated the Royals and didn’t allow a run in a win-orgo-home Game 5 of the World Series. He lived up to the Dark Knight persona and then some until the ninth inning.

WORST

July 15, 2013: In a Men’s Journal profile, Harvey says he wants to date women in the same manner as Derek Jeter. “That guy is the model,” he said. “I mean, first off, let’s just look at the women he’s dated. Obviously, he goes out — he’s meeting these girls somewhere — but you never hear about it. That’s where I want to be.” Aug. 26, 2013: Harvey is diagnosed with a partial UCL tear in his pitching elbow. After briefly attempting rehab, he elected in October to undergo Tommy John surgery, which cost him the entire 2014 season. March 2014: Harvey and the Mets haggle over where he will rehab from Tommy John, with Harvey wanting to do so in New York and the team wanting him in Florida. The sides agree to a split. April 22, 2014: Harvey tweets out photo of himself in hospital bed giving the middle finger. Sept. 25, 2014: Harvey attends Derek Jeter’s final home game at Yankee Stadium. September 2015: It appeared Harvey’s season might end early with a proposed 180-inning limit after recovering from Tommy John, per Scott Boras, but Harvey later writes on the Players’ Tribune that he’ll pitch in the postseason. He ended up throwing 189.1 regular-season innings and 262/3 postseason innings. Oct. 6, 2015: Harvey misses a mandatory postseason workout at Citi Field. He reportedly was out drinking and watching football the night before. “I screwed up,” Harvey said at the time. Nov. 1, 2015: At 102 pitches through eight shutout innings and the Mets leading 2-0 in Game 5 of the World Series, which the Mets trailed 3-1, Harvey convinced Terry Collins to let him return to the mound for the ninth inning. A walk to Lorenzo Cain and an RBI double by Eric Hosmer had Harvey yanked from the game. Hosmer later scored to tie the game, and the Royals won the series in 12 innings. March 2016: Harvey reveals he had a blood clot in his bladder and that he was holding in his urine too long, prompting a Daily News backpage wood of “Ya Gotta Relieve!” July 18, 2016: Harvey undergoes surgery to correct Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, ending a frustratin­g season in which he went 4-10 with a 4.86 ERA in 17 starts. May 2017: Harvey is suspended for three days after failing to show up to Citi Field for a game. He finished the 2017 season with a 6.70 ERA in 19 games (18 starts.) April 21, 2018: Harvey is demoted to the bullpen after pitching to a 6.00 ERA through four starts. Four

days later he refused to speak to reporters, saying “I don’t f--g want to.” May 4, 2018: Harvey refuses a minorleagu­e assignment from the Mets, prompting Sandy Alderson to designate him for assignment, which will officially happen Saturday. He finishes his Mets career 34-37 with a 3.66 ERA.

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