Matt Harvey In Mid-season Form For New York Mets

The New York Mets have had a tough spring training, as they lost both Zack Wheeler and Josh Edgin for the season already to Tommy John surgery. That has put them behind the eight-ball a little bit, but they have to encouraged by what they are seeing from last season’s victim to Tommy John surgery, Matt Harvey.

Harvey didn’t pitch during the 2014 season as he recovered from Tommy John surgery, an injury he suffered in August of 2013. The extra caution that the Mets showed with him seems to have paid off thus far, as Harvey has pitched like he hasn’t missed a beat this spring.

Thus far in the spring, Harvey has been dominant for the Mets, most recently twirling a gem against the New York Yankees. On Sunday afternoon Harvey faced a Yankee lineup that wasn’t their full opening day lineup, but still featured projected starters Didi Gregorius, Stephen Drew, Chase Headley and Mark Teixeira and backup John Ryan Murphy. Opposing him on the mound was C.C. Sabathia, so it was as close to a regular season game as you will see during the spring.

None of that seemed to matter to Harvey, who mowed down the Yankees with ease. Harvey was set to throw 75 pitches today, but the Mets decided to cut it short because of how deep he already was into the game. He threw an efficient 5 ⅔ innings, needing only 60 pitches to get that far into the game. His velocity also sat a healthy 94-97 MPH on his fastball throughout the afternoon as well.

His Grapefruit League ERA now stands at a stellar 1.26 as he looks as ready as anyone for the regular season to start. He allowed only two hits while striking out four in the outing today. If you combine his last spring start against the Boston Red Sox, Harvey is now up to 9 ⅔ consecutive scoreless innings; music to the ears of people within the Mets organization and fans alike.

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Some of the excitement that the Mets entered the spring with has dissipated with the injuries they are enduring, as Daniel Murphy could start the season on the DL with a hamstring injury in addition to the season-ending injuries to Wheeler and Edgin. Harvey will bring some of that excitement back though, as he continues to work his way back and distance himself from his Tommy John surgery. If he continues throwing the ball like he is currently, and carries it into and throughout the regular season, there will still be plenty to be excited about regarding the Mets this season.

Harvey will make his next spring training appearance Friday when the Mets take on the St. Louis Cardinals when the Mets visit them in Jupiter.

Next: What will the Mets' record be in 2015?

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