Matt Harvey gets first spring training start on Tuesday
New York Mets pitcher Matt Harvey throws live batting practice during a spring training workout on Friday, Feb. 26, 2016 in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Credit: Newsday / Alejandra Villa
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — For the first time since he walked off the mound in the ninth inning of Game 5 of the World Series, Matt Harvey will take the ball for the Mets on Tuesday in a slightly less pressurized situation.
Harvey’s spring training debut will come against the Braves at Champion Stadium in Lake Buena Vista. Manager Terry Collins won’t have to decide when and if to remove Harvey as he did in excruciating fashion in the final game of last year’s Fall Classic.
And no talk of innings limits, thank goodness.
On Nov. 1, Collins left Harvey in for the ninth against Kansas City with a 2-0 lead. A walk and double later, Harvey was out. Jeurys Familia blew the save and the Mets went on to a series-ending, 12-inning defeat by a score of 7-2.
The decision haunted Collins in the immediate aftermath of the postseason. But the crisp Florida sunshine has the Mets manager seeing nothing but possibilities in Harvey’s second season after Tommy John surgery.
Harvey looks raring to go, unlike in the early part of last season when his fastball and slider were inconsistent.
“We had enough reports that that late life may not be there last year,” Collins said. “That’s one of the things we didn’t think he had. He used his changeup and curveball more when he ditched his slider last year because his slider wasn’t sharp. But if he’s got those pitches working this year, this could be pretty fun to watch.”
Jacob deGrom will face the Yankees on Wednesday and Noah Syndergaard draws St. Louis on Thursday in the pitchers’ spring debuts. Both are Mets home games. Collins said he did not factor in the nearly 250-mile round-trip drive to Lake Buena Vista in deciding that Harvey would pitch Tuesday.
Extra bases
Lucas Duda homered off former Yankees lefthander Justin Wilson and Neil Walker also went deep in the Mets’ 7-3 win over the Tigers. Bartolo Colon allowed one run in three innings . . . Juan Lagares, who has been out for three days with a dental issue, is scheduled to play Tuesday. Curtis Granderson (eye infection) is expected to make his spring training debut Wednesday.
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.
