Matt Harvey took some time on Sunday to set the record straight regarding his immediate future, and he made his message perfectly clear.
“I will pitch in the playoffs.”
In a short piece that he wrote for The Players Tribune, Harvey said that he will not let the 180-inning limit that his doctor has strongly recommended stand in the way of the Mets making a run at a championship.
“As an athlete, when your surgeon explains to you the risks of exceeding a certain number of innings, it can be alarming. You listen. I love to play baseball and I love winning even more,” Harvey wrote. “I would not give that up for anything. I also know I want to be able to play and win for a long time. But there has never been a doubt in my mind: I will pitch in the playoffs. I will be healthy, active and ready to go.
“I am communicating with my agent, my doctor, Sandy and the entire Mets organization. I can assure everyone that we’re all on the same page.”
Harvey has already pitched 166.1 innings, and his agent Scott Boras has insisted he is not supposed to throw more than 180. However, Harvey indicated that the innings cap will apply to the regular season, meaning he probably won’t make all of his scheduled starts from now until October.
After what Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said about Harvey’s innings limit, it became clear that the Mets expect Harvey to pitch if they reach the postseason. Harvey was also ripped by a Mets legend on Sunday, which may have inspired him to come out and state his intentions.
Simply put, Harvey would be hated by Mets fans if he sat in the playoffs. New York has a chance to win the NL East for the first time since 2006, and Harvey has been the team’s ace. He barely has a choice.
