If last night was any indication, then a change in scenery may suit Matt Harvey well.
Acquired by the Cincinnati Reds this week in exchange for catcher Devin Mesoraco, the former Met shined in his first opportunity.
Harvey’s first start in a Reds uniform came against the defending National League champs, the Los Angeles Dodgers. That did not stop him from dominating. He pitched four scoreless innings against LA, allowing just one hit while striking out a pair of batters. If that is any indication, Harvey will have an opportunity to stick around in the Reds rotation.
Although Harvey struggled with the Mets this year (7.00 ERA in eight outings), getting him was worth a shot for the Reds. After all, they are 12-27 through 39 games this year and their 4.83 team ERA is the second highest in the National League.
To make room for Harvey on their roster, the Reds optioned Brandon Finnegan down to Triple-A Louisville. In five MLB starts this season, Finnegan went 0-3 with a 7.40 ERA.
Rebound Potential
Harvey, 29, showed promise in the early portion of his career, earning an All-Star nod back in 2013. However, he missed the entire 2014 season after undergoing Tommy John Surgery and since 2016, has dealt with shoulder, hamstring and scapula injuries. Still, the way the Reds have performed this season, they could not pass up the opportunity to make the low-risk deal.
After all, Harvey was fourth in the National League Cy Young voting back in 2013. Plus, he was a workhorse for a 2015 National League pennant-winning Mets team. That year, he went 13-8 with a 2.71 ERA and 188 strikeouts in 189.1 innings over the course of 29 starts. All they had to do was trade a surplus catcher who hasn’t produced in the past four years to get this potential.
Prior to the trade, Harvey’s tenure with the Mets this season was not going well. Not only did he struggle, but he was demoted to the bullpen in late April. On May 4, he was officially designated for assignment. They decided to do so after Harvey refused minor league assignment to work on his mechanics.
