Collins: Upside to Harvey’s struggles
CHICAGO — Matt Harvey might need a good hug from his teammates.
The Mets right-hander was possibly at his nadir emotionally following his latest brutal performance Wednesday, and manager Terry Collins tried to find a silver lining to the situation.
“As ugly as it may seem, one of the bright things we have going for us, we can run him back out there in five days, because if we were in a pennant race we couldn’t do it,” Collins said Thursday before the Mets lost to the Cubs, 14-6, at Wrigley Field.
A night earlier, Harvey allowed 11 Cubs baserunners over 3 ¹ /3 innings in which he was charged for five earned runs and said he was frustrated by the manner in which the past two seasons have unfolded. Harvey, who spent 2 ½ months on the disabled list with a stress injury in his right scapula this season, missed the second half of 2016 after undergoing surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome.
In three starts since his latest DL stint, Harvey has pitched to a 12.19 ERA.
Harvey’s next start is expected to come Monday in Miami.
It was two touchdowns allowed by the Mets and two more players injured.
A Mets season that can’t end fast enough only worsened Thursday, when Amed Rosario and Travis d’Arnaud departed hurt against the Cubs.
Rosario exited with a tight left hip flexor and d’Arnaud with a twisted right knee, adding injury to the insult of getting swept in three games by the Cubs while getting outscored 39-14. The runs allowed were the most by the Mets in a three-game series in franchise history.
Rosario said he hurt his hip sliding into second base in the first inning. The rookie remained in the game until the fifth.
“It just feels like something that is maybe a little annoying, but doesn’t feel like anything serious,” Rosario said.
D’Arnaud’s knee injury occurred in the second inning, fielding Taylor Davis’ squib. But d’Arnaud remained in the game until the fifth.
Seth Lugo was the Mets’ latest victim on the mound. The right-hander lasted only three innings and allowed eight runs, seven of which were earned, on nine hits and one walk.
Noah Syndergaard threw a bullpen session and could be cleared to throw a simulated game, potentially a last step before returning from the disabled list. Syndergaard, who has been rehabbing from a torn lat, hasn’t pitched for the Mets since April 30.