Matt Harvey, who was once a dominating force to be reckoned with in a formerly elite and unbeatable Mets pitching rotation, is now facing a career decline. Here is the breakdown on Matt Harvey’s decline, and several suggested reasons as to why the star isn’t shining so bright anymore.
Fully Understanding Matt Harvey’s Decline
Harvey, who is now 28-years-old, has already underwent Tommy John surgery and a surgery to fix Thoracic Outlet syndrome. Many pitchers have extreme difficulty coming back from these surgeries and understandably have not been the same in their attempts to rebound.
Harvey appeared to have Tommy John surgery behind him in 2015; that quite productive year in Queens. A slow onset of the less quality starts we saw in the former ace began in 2016. The once highly competitive, very effective pitcher who fans would refer to as “The Dark Knight” is now just another spot in the rotation, but not the spot that can be relied on to bring quality innings and sure wins these days.
Some may say that Harvey is too focused on supermodels and chasing an off-field image. While these distractions sure don’t help, it is way more than that. The fact that Harvey had to be checked on by Mets staff after being upset about seeing former girlfriend Adriana Lima with NFL star Julian Edelman could not have helped matters in any way possible, but his mindset is changing. His mindset is different once he takes the mound, and the fact may be that it is a clear issue that has been occurring for over a year. Lima messing with Harvey’s head may have been partially the problem, but his off-field distractions and work ethics aren’t the best.
Years ago, Harvey posted a photo of himself in a hospital bed with his middle finger up. It may have been years ago, but it suggests that Harvey was not displaying the best image to the fans while representing the Mets as an organization.
Are the countless moments that Harvey has disappointed his fans and teammates behind him? Can he get his pitching mechanics and work-orientated mindset back on track? The Mets clearly have been patient with the former ace. His overall view by the fans is slipping away. “Harvey Day” was once a much-appreciated, sure-to-get-the-win type of day.
If the Mets were to part ways with Harvey, it actually may benefit him and the Mets. It may not be a horrible move and the Mets still have Steven Matz, Noah Syndergaard and Jacob deGrom to work with. Harvey’s stats thus far in 2017 include a 4-3 record, a 5.25 ERA, and 54 strikeouts in 13 starts and 70.1 innings pitched.
To call Harvey an ace nowadays is not at all a fact, and the Mets have been patient enough with Harvey and his career decline. Whether his future is with the Mets, the Yankees, or any other team, one can hope that he finds his groove and looks to make a comeback as he is due for one during a much disappointing season overall for the Mets.
