Matt Harvey still seems bothered by the New York Mets demoting him to the bullpen.
Harvey returned to Citi Field on Monday for the first time since being traded to the Cincinnati Reds in May. He visited with reporters before the first of a three-game series between the Mets and Reds and answered some questions.
Asked about the biggest difference between the Reds and Mets, Harvey’s response was that he’s not in the bullpen.
Matt Harvey on the difference between the Mets and the Reds: "I'm not in the bullpen." pic.twitter.com/53ancf7NXT
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) August 6, 2018
Though Harvey said it in a light-hearted manner and received some laughs, it’s obvious that still bothers him.
Harvey was an All-Star in 2013 and finished top-five in the Cy Young voting. He was very good his first three seasons in the majors. To go from that to being sent to the bullpen just a few years later probably felt humiliating for Harvey. Given that, it’s no surprise he also refused a demotion to the minor leagues, which preceded his trade to Cincinnati.
Mets fans shouldn’t be too bothered by this response. If Harvey really wanted to take a shot at the Mets, he could have said that the biggest difference is that his new team doesn’t leak negative stories about him to the media.
