Written by: Joe Ryan
Matt Harvey made his 2018 Spring Training debut for the Mets against the Atlanta Braves, and Mets fan should feel a certain amount of optimism after this debut. Although Harvey wasn’t dominant, he pitched well for two innings.
Harvey let up two hits, one walk, one run and stuck out two hitters looking in two innings pitched. The best outing ever? No. The first inning Harvey struck out two and had a clean inning. Three-up and three-down.
However, it was the second inning where Harvey found some trouble. After walking the first hitter on four pitches and letting up a single to the next, Harvey faced first and third with no one out. In the last few years, this would be an inning in which Harvey implodes. However, he kept his composure, continued to pitch and got the next hitter to ground into a double play. Yes, the run scored, but if were treating this like a normal game, Harvey got through an inning in which he had first and third, nobody out and only allowed one run. That’s something he didn’t do last year and it’s an encouraging sign to see that happen, even if it’s just in Spring Training.
Harvey’s fastball topped out at 96 MPH but it sat around 92-94. The Slider was sitting around 86-87. Those numbers are fine for the first start in Spring Training. People get caught up with velocity to much. It’s the guys first start since September, those numbers will rise by April.
All in all, it was a good debut for Matt Harvery and encouraging signs to say the least.
Listen, I’m the biggest Matt Harvey fan in the world so I am rooting for him to bounce back more than anyone.
