New York Mets: Matt Harvey inquiries come at an odd time

The New York Mets seem to be shopping Matt Harvey to other teams at a strange time, based on his performance.

All New York Mets fans remember the early days of Matt Harvey. He dazzled the Citi Field crowd with an electric fastball and a personality that seemed born for the big city. He reminded some of the days of Tom Seaver and Dwight Gooden. Matt Harvey Day, each time he turned up in the Mets rotation, became a spectacle in and of itself. Nobody wanted to miss a single pitch.

Oh how times have changed. Ever since his performance in the World Series, it has been a battle with poor performances and injuries for the artist known as the Dark Knight. In an abbreviated 2017, Harvey went 5-7 with a 6.70 ERA. He struggled to hit the upper 90s with his fastball like he did when he first came on the scene. After Tommy John surgery and Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, his arm just didn’t seem the same anymore.

Which makes the report in the NY Daily News more interesting. According to Kristie Ackert, the Mets are shopping the services of Harvey to multiple teams. It seems that they are pretty dead set on getting relief help back if they are going to make any move. Teams such as the Rangers and Orioles have initially expressed interest.

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It is possible to debate what Harvey can or will bring back, but today brings up a different question in all of this. My question about a Matt Harvey trade would be, why now? What makes this the right time?

Trading typically would follow the same concept as the stock market; buy low and sell high. Get a guy that is underperforming and let him go at the top of his game to get the most value. The opposite way would be moving someone just to get rid of them.

In that regard, the interest in Harvey makes sense. Teams can get a starting pitcher that can throw hard and has had success in the past. Based on his recent performances, he shouldn’t be expected to command a mega deal. Harvey would represent a low investment and, if he is healthy, a high upside.

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The question is what Sandy Alderson is thinking here. It would have made more sense to try and move Harvey after the World Series. He was performing well. Does he really expect to get A+ bullpen help for a guy that pitched to a 6.70 ERA and has had two surgeries in the last four years? It seems like the definition of selling low to me.

Maybe Sandy can pull a rabbit out of his hat. It just seems like an odd time to perform the trick.

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