Bombers could see a lot of ex-Met Harvey, now
SARASOTA — Six years ago, this would have been a big draw. The Yankees facing Matt Harvey. Those six years, however, have been hard on the former Mets righthander who was once tabbed the Dark Knight of Gotham by Sports Illustrated. Harvey has gone through Tommy John surgery, a brutal end to a strong World Series start, thoracic outlet surgery and a very unharmonious split with the Mets.
So, Saturday night, the now 31-year-old Harvey was here with the Orioles on a minor league roster trying to make the Opening Day roster facing the Yankees.
He allowed one run on one hit in four innings on a home run to Gio Urshela, walking one and striking out two.
His meteoric rise and dramatic fall from the top of the game was not so long ago. Aaron Boone remembers watching it as an analyst with ESPN.
“Yeah, I can remember he debuted in Arizona. I remember a lot of that game, I was actually calling the Mets-Royals World Series, so I was doing that series for ESPN Radio,” Boone said. “He was a pretty big star and in the sport and certainly in New York for a number of years. There’s no denying the talent so we’ll see where he’s at.”
Boone also still saw some potential in Harvey’s comeback when the Yankees faced him in Anaheim in 2019.
“Absolutely, especially as someone that we could potentially be facing a number of times this year,” Boone said of remembering Harvey as a dangerous pitcher. “I remember in 2019 when we did face him in Anaheim. He was actually throwing the ball pretty well, but he was getting hurt by the long ball that year. He was having that one inning or something because the stuff flies, he was doing some things that were pretty good and then having those innings where he was getting bit by the one big inning. I think that even happened against us, I think we might have gotten him.
“But, I’m always curious about somebody that could be in the mix and then when you make it a division foe that if it sticks … this is a guy where we could face a handful of times,” Boone said.
BIG DECISIONS
Jay Bruce and the Yankees are coming up on the deadline this week. The veteran outfielder, who has been impressive this spring, has an opt-out on his minor league deal if he isn’t put on the 40-man roster by Thursday.
After struggling with injuries the last two years, Bruce has looked very healthy this spring. He emphasized that Saturday night with a leaping grab in left field of Anthony Santander’s fly ball. The lefty slugger with 318 career home runs to his name is hitting .261 with two homers this spring.
Still, he’s waiting to find out what the Yankees’ plans are.
“I don’t really have control over that. I know that I came to spring training physically ready to go,” Bruce said. “I feel like I’ve shown that I’m capable of handling multiple positions. My swing feels good. So we’ll see in five days. I don’t know. I’m eager to find out.”
STANTON STAYS AT DH
Giancarlo Stanton can just focus on tattooing baseballs this spring. The Yankees’ slugger is not going to get into a game in the outfield as he had said he wanted to. Yankees manager Aaron Boone had walked that back quickly, saying he wasn’t sure the often-injured Stanton needed to work out there.
“During the season, that is the plan, but as the discussions went on, me and (Boone) talked, he said I’ll be needed later in the first month or two,” Stanton said of playing the outfield. “So now isn’t as important as to just be ready to go during the season.”
Stanton, who has looked sharp at the plate this spring, has missed significant time to injuries over the past two seasons. He has played just 41 regular-season games over the last two years because of a litany of injuries.
READY TO CHIP IN
Mike King knows his place, and coming out of camp it’s not going to be in the Yankees’ big league rotation. The right-hander, however, also