Report: Harvey expected to rejoin Mets on Friday

The Dark Knight rises.

After missing the last 10 weeks with a stress injury in his right shoulder, Matt Harvey is expected make his long-awaited return to the New York Mets' rotation Friday, getting the ball for the series opener against the Houston Astros, reports Mike Puma of the New York Post.

Though the 28-year-old right-hander didn't exactly dominate his rehab assignment, putting up a 4.63 ERA in four abbreviated outings between Low-A Brooklyn and Double-A Binghamton, Harvey impressed his last time out, according to Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen.

"When he threw in Double-A last time, the reports weren’t all that glowing," Warthen said. "But (minor league pitching coordinator) Glenn Abbott was raving about this last one. Matt's delivery was the same every pitch, and everything was coming out cleanly."

Harvey, who missed the second half of the 2016 campaign due to thoracic outlet syndrome, made just 13 starts this season before landing on the disabled list, managing a career-worst 5.25 ERA (82 ERA+) with a 1.45 WHIP over 70 1/3 innings. His struggles, Warthen said, were likely a result of his shoulder injury.

"He was throwing good first innings with velocity and everything working," Warthen said. "And all of a sudden, second inning, a dramatic fall in velocity and everything else. I think (the stress injury) had a great deal of effect because he didn't sustain his velocity and sustain his stuff."

While injuries have marred his last two seasons, Harvey ranked among the game's top pitchers as recently as 2015, when he - in his first season back following Tommy John surgery - crafted a 2.71 ERA (140 ERA+) with a 5.08 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 29 starts. In parts of five seasons with the Mets, Harvey, an All-Star in 2013, owns a 3.22 ERA and 1.13 WHIP across 95 starts.