Mets designate former ace Matt Harvey for assignment

The New York Mets are cutting ties with former ace Matt Harvey.

General manager Sandy Alderson said Friday that the 29-year-old right-hander refused a minor league assignment and will designated for assignment Saturday.

After Harvey is designated, the Mets have seven days to trade him or release him. Because of Harvey’s $5,625,000 salary, a trade may be difficult to work out unless the Mets agree to send cash as part of a deal.

Harvey is 0-2 with a 7.00 ERA in four starts and four relief appearances. Since losing his rotation spot, he has a 10.50 ERA in four relief appearances.

He started the All-Star Game at Citi Field in 2013 and was 9-5 with a 2.27 ERA when he tore an elbow ligament, which led to Tommy John surgery. He returned in 2015 and went 13-8 with a 2.27 ERA as the Mets reached the World Series for the first time since 1986. But he slumped the following year and had surgery to correct Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.

NHL

LIGHTNING TAKE 3-1 LEAD » Dan Girardi scored 3:18 into overtime on Friday night to give the Tampa Bay Lightning a 4-3 victory over the Boston Bruins and a 3-1 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal series.

The Lightning jumped ahead 2-0 for the second straight game. But this time Boston answered with three straight goals, including a short-handed score by Patrice Bergeron his second of the game to break a thirdperiod tie.

Steven Stamkos tied it 3-all with seven minutes left in regulation. Girardi ended it when he got a stick on a pass from Alex Killorn that was deflected off Brian Gionta’s skate in the crease.

Andrei Vasilevskiy made 25 saves for the Lightning, who will have a chance to clinch it at home on Sunday.

Tuukka Rask stopped 28 shots for the Bruins.

Golf

PETERSON LEADS AT WELLS FARGO » John Peterson started his rookie season on the PGA Tour about the time Tiger Woods started to experience back problems.

One of them is closer to walking away than the other.

Peterson, the 29-year-old free spirit who has pledged to retire from golf’s vagabond lifestyle if he doesn’t earn enough money to keep his card in three events, made back-to-back eagles late in the opening round Thursday for a 6-under 65 that gave him a two-shot lead in the Wells Fargo Championship.

Woods had an unspectacular round of 71 in his return to Quail Hollow after a six-year absence mostly due to his balky back and figured it would keep him and everyone else fairly close to the lead on a course that made it tough for anyone to get separation.