Velocity’s down as Harvey pushes patience

PORT ST. LUCIE — Matt Harvey says he is taking it slow.

The headstrong young righthander, who tried to force his way back from Tommy John surgery in 2014, is pacing himself in the much more unknown rehab from thoracic outlet syndrome surgery.

Sunday, pitching with a stiff neck, Harvey struggled with fastball command and velocity in his first start since July 4, 2016.

“Obviously it’s been eight months since I played against another team. The biggest thing was going out there and trying, I guess get my mechanics back against another team,” Harvey said after giving up four runs in 1.2 innings against the Cardinals. “Today was kind of the first step getting my feet wet in game action and I felt it went pretty well.”

Terry Collins said Harvey had a stiff neck Saturday but Sunday morning said he felt OK to pitch. The Mets manager noted that Harvey, who had an 11-pitch first inning, had heat tape on his neck in the second inning. He said it was not a long-term concern, but could have affected his results Sunday.

“We’ll cut him a little slack today,” Collins said.

With the Mets’ hopes depending on four starting pitchers coming back from season-ending surgeries, there is an impatience to see them back healthy and producing. Sunday, Harvey’s outing made it clear there will not be any quick

and easy answers, especially with him.

Harvey’s fastball topped out at 94 mph Sunday, down from the 96 he averaged in 2015. He allowed four runs, including a three-run homer, and was pulled after getting two outs in the second inning after he had thrown 39 pitches. He struck out three.

Harvey said he feels like he can ramp it up, but he wants to be smart about it.

“I think this year, I am taking things a little bit slower, realizing I want to get into the fifth or sixth inning before I really start ramping it up,” Harvey said. “It’s still obviously the beginning of March, I realize there is time for the velo to pick up.”

The Mets seemed to get an almost immediate answer about Jacob deGrom on Saturday when he went out and threw 97 mph in his first outing since elbow surgery last September. But Harvey’s rehab is much more of an unknown.

The condition, which compresses the blood flow and nerves from the shoulder to the arm, forced older pitchers like Josh Beckett and Chris Carpenter into retirement. For Chris Young, having the surgery to remove a rib and create better circulation saved his career and allowed him to return to win a World Series with the Royals over the Mets in 2015.

Clearly with Harvey coming off a more serious surgery than deGrom, the Mets are going to have to wait and see what happens.

“That’s going to have to be determined in two weeks,” Collins said of being able to judge Harvey’s progress toward the start of the season. “We’ll wait two more starts, when he gets to four innings, four or five innings, before we can make a determination of his endurance and how he’s going to handle things. But, like I said I was very happy with what I saw today.”

The fastball command and velocity may not be there, but Harvey, Collins and catcher Rene Rivera were encouraged. Harvey was working on simple mechanics Sunday, Rivera said. Collins saw him looking for a consistent release point.

“We’ve got a long way. As long as he felt good about it. As long as he didn’t have any discomfort I think we’re OK,” Collins said. “We’re on the right track.”

Harvey said his arm felt good after Sunday’s outing and he was happy with his changeup, which he took as an encouraging sign.

“That was a big pitch for me. That’s when I know I can get extension and get feel, when that’s working well, I know things are going well,” Harvey said. “I felt confident throwing that. Felt good throwing the slider.

“The fastball velo is going to come. It’s only a matter of time.”