Collins continues to have struggling Harvey's back
There's at least one person in New York who's still firmly entrenched in Matt Harvey's corner.
It's the only person whose opinion really matters.
Mets manager Terry Collins will stick with his struggling right-hander, who's set to take the ball again on Monday. Collins wants the "Dark Knight" to see it through in the rotation until he returns to the ace form he had in his first three seasons in the MLB.
"This is not just a Triple-A guy who's here for a tryout," Collins told Barry M. Bloom of MLB.com on Sunday. "This is a guy who started an All-Star Game a couple of years ago so I think we've got to push a little farther."
That said, Collins and the Mets still aren't quite sure what's ailing the 27-year-old, who now has a 6.08 ERA and is allowing an astounding 12.3 hits per nine innings. What is known is that opponents are hitting Harvey much harder each time he cycles through the order, hurting his ability to pitch deep into games. A mechanical flaw, the nature of which was not disclosed, may be part of the problem.
OPPONENTS VS. HARVEY
| 1st time through | 2nd time through | 3rd time through |
|---|---|---|
| .241/.292/.373 | .301/.326/.518 | .509/.563/.764 |
(Courtesy: Baseball-Reference)
"The second time through the order, we're seeing things he's doing that are keeping him from having the ability to make the pitches he needs to make," Collins said on the weekend, according to Joe Trezza of MLB.com. "We're seeing a velocity drop, and there is a reason for that. We're seeing a lack of a feel for his breaking ball."
What is clear, though, is that the Mets will stand by Harvey until he returns to normal. He's not hurt, so there will be no trip to the disabled list, and the minors are simply out of the question. Collins thinks fatigue from pitching into October last year could be a factor.
On Monday, when Harvey takes the hill against the slumping White Sox, Collins is hoping his hurler can forget all his troubles and just pitch his game.
"I'm hoping he relaxes," Collins told Bloom. "I'm hoping he just goes out and pitches like he knows how, just worry about making pitches and not the mechanics of the situation. If you're worried about where your foot's landing or arm angle you're going to have a tough time."