Matt Harvey on track to begin throwing
Less than four months after undergoing Tommy John surgery, Mets pitcher Matt Harvey believes he's on track to begin throwing as soon as two weeks from Saturday.
"Things are going really smoothly now," Harvey said Friday on WFAN.
Harvey, 24, said he hasn't had any setbacks during rehab, keeping him in line to hit the typical four-month mark between undergoing surgery and the start of throwing. He believes Feb. 22 will be his target date to throw "once [doctors] give me the OK."
Until then, Harvey's work will remain in the weight room, where he is steadily increasing his workload.
The righthander had surgery on Oct. 22 after weeks of debating whether to attempt rehab instead. "It was tough," said Harvey, whose injury cut short an All-Star season. "I never thought it would happen."
Since surgery, Harvey said he's drawn some comfort in seeing how well the Nationals' Stephen Strasburg came back from his Tommy John procedure. The early phases of rehab also have been encouraging.
Harvey said he regained full range of motion after four days and has yet to experience any pain. He recently resumed regular weight training. When pitchers and catchers report next Saturday, he is expected to join the rest of the team.
Rehabbing Mets pitchers typically continue their work at the team's complex in Port St. Lucie. Harvey said he'd prefer to spend the rest of the season around the team, which would allow him to learn the league's hitters and spend time with teammates.
Harvey said the rehab has gone somewhat quickly but added that the true test will come in spring training, when he'll be surrounded by teammates who will be in the middle of preparing for the season.
"It's been tough," said Harvey, who was 9-5 with a 2.27 ERA in his first full season in the majors. "It's been a long offseason."