Matt Harvey is Reportedly Getting Another Job
The Angels signed Matt Harvey last year (for $11 mil) and it didn’t go well at all. He put up some awful numbers (7.09 ERA in 12 starts) and was released before the end of July. He latched on with Oakland thereafter but never made it back to the bigs. With the 2020 season right around the corner, a report came out from Jon Heyman that he’s “close” to a deal with Kansas City.
Sources: Matt Harvey close to deal with Royals
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 23, 2020
Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com wrote on Twitter that the plan is to have him ready for 2021, however, and that he’d be going to their alternate site.
Harvey has a history with Kansas City, though not as a member of their team. Back in 2015 when he was still one of the best pitchers in baseball, he persuaded Mets manager Terry Collins to let him finish Game 5 of the World Series. At that point, the Mets were down 3-1 but they were in control of Game 5 after eight brilliant innings from Harvey. Up 2-0, he walked the leadoff batter, then allowed an RBI double to Eric Hosmer. He was eventually pulled but the damage was done and Kansas City tied the game to force extras. Within a few innings the Royals were celebrating their first World Series win in 30 years and Harvey, well, was never really the same.
Matt Harvey 2012-15: 65 starts, 2.53 ERA
Matt Harvey 2016-19: 75 starts, 5.65 ERA
After he and the Mets parted ways — it was ugly — he did have a decent bounce-back stint with Cincinnati in the latter half of 2018 — 4.50 ERA in 24 starts — earning him the deal with the Angels. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to carry the momentum forward and here we are today.
I’m sure he does have some good innings left in that arm, it’s just about the situation. Smaller markets may be the trick for The Dark Knight.