July 23: Harvey is now officially a free agent after clearing waivers, the Angels announced.
July 21: The Angels have requested unconditional release waivers on right-handed pitcher Matt Harvey, according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. The move comes after Harvey was designated for assignment on Friday.
Thus continues a frustrating season for Harvey, who earned an $11MM contract from the Halos, representing an opportunity to re-establish himself as a viable rotation option after injuries derailed his career. Unfortunately, though, the contract has been a disaster for the playoff-hopeful Angels, who have by all measures received negative value from their one-year investment: Harvey’s ERA has ballooned to 7.09, the worst of his career. Other indicators paint a similar picture: with a 6.36 FIP and a .390 xwOBA, the Angels had little reason to continue trotting Harvey out to the mound every fifth day.
Harvey has seen his fastball velocity take yet another step back this season, continuing a trend that began after his peak in 2013. In 2019, Harvey’s fastball has averaged 93.68 mph per Brooks Baseball, a far cry from the 96.96 mark he posted in his All-Star season. While the former number still comes in slightly above average, the declining velocity mirrors an overall trend in Harvey’s performance, with his strikeout rate declining to a career-worst 14.7%. That, coupled with a walk rate that is likewise trending in the wrong direction, has led to an abysmal 1.34 K:BB ratio.
With his Angels tenure now in the rear-view, it will be intriguing to monitor Harvey’s status in free agency. Given the prodigious success that he enjoyed early in his career, it seems likely that several teams will have interest in taking a flyer on the veteran, especially at a much more affordable price; in light of his recent performance, Harvey may only garner a minor-league deal. Perhaps teams would be interested in converting Harvey to a bullpen role in hopes that his stuff would play up, though it’s unclear if Harvey himself would be open to such a change. The Mets experimented with Harvey as a reliever prior to his departure in 2018, though he only made four appearances, making it hard to draw any conclusions about his viability out of the bullpen.
Awesome, they are still paying him all that money. GM is a joke!!!!! LOL.
Did u really expect a team to take on his contract?
Your reply is a joke. Eppler did the right thing and gave him a one tear contract. Realizing it wasnt working, he recognized the mistake and released him. Its perfectly reasonable.
Agreed. It was worth the risk. And no need to keep Harvey around any longer.
11m was crazy
Oh, I think many tears are involved.
This
Unless it was one tear, as in rip it straight down the middle
Touche’
What is the cost for both he and Allen this year? That is a lot of money!
I’m not a big Eppler fan, but I don’t see anything wrong with the Harvey signing or his release.
$11 million was an overpay. He had two career ending surgeries and was three seasons removed from being the guy he was.
If Eppler signed him for half that, I’d agree. Looking at Eppler’s body of work, it’s hard to defend another dud. I’m sure Moreno is a big detriment to any GM, but he’s still been awful.
this site predicted $22 mil over 2 years.
Two wrongs don’t make a right.
MLBTR also predicted $420 for Bryce, $390 for Manny, 4 years, $82 mil for Keuchel, 4 years, $70 for Kimbrel.
@horace Lmao dud? You clearly dont watch the angels…..signed both ohtani and trout to long term deals. Single handled rebuilt farm from dead last to top 15 in 3/4 years and fielded competitive teams that were a few pieces shy of wild card births…..and i forgot to mention that he got justin upton for next to nothing. (Also completly revamped efforts in dominican republic and cuba.)
The angels were a train wreck before he got there and he has done a great job of amassing and collect assets, drafting fairly well and fielding competitive teams. The gm you depict is jerry dipoto the worst gm in the league
Everything you said you hit right on the button. When billy roller took over the team it’s was a disaster,so bad the farm system was ranked last and the team on the field was one of the worst. Now the angels have a top 15 ranked farm system and have a really competitive team in 2019. The angels will be in the playoff next year when players like jo Adell and free agent pick ups like gerrit cole come along
Eppler*
Congrats on your being in 4th place.
Ohtani fell into his lap. Trout’s deal eventually turns into an anchor.
Farm system rankings are mostly educated guesses and highly volatile.
When do you think the Angels even sniff October baseball?
They are 2 games over .500, in 4th place, 6.5 games back in the WC.
That’s not competitive.
Wow much respect coming from a dodger fan
It’s in my blood to dislike everything Angels but……Eppler rebuilt the farm, traded a sack of marbles for Upton and La Stella, signed Ohtani, and somehow convinced Trout to sign long term, He’s done well in drafts and the Angels could be competitive once Pujols comes off the book. Harvey was a high risk/high reward signing that didn’t work out. He wasn’t terrible with the Reds last season and had other suitors. The Angels overpaid and it didn’t work out.
Somehow? A $430 million dollar extension in a declining market for mlb payroll.
Also, that deal was all Moreno. No GM has any authority to spend that kind of coin.
Harvey had a 93 era+ with the Reds. That’s worth a few million dollar flier, more likely a minor league deal.
One of the fastest rising farm systems in the game. A lot more depth in the starting lineup, bench, and bullpen, and young. The only thing left is their rotation. The Angels have been on the upswing ever since he took over. All of the baseball world knows that the Angels needed to rebuild in some capacity. Harvey’s deal was one year. No problem. That’s never a high risk. Now that their lineup, bullpen, and bench are pretty much lined up, they can go into this offseason with starting pitching on the brain.
nope! you are so wrong! currently they are tied with the rangers at 3rd place. after the games are played they will have sole 3rd place and upwardly mobile.
Wow! 3rd place. That makes all the difference.
That’s almost as amusing as @imindless, touting .4 WAR, 32 yo Justin Upton who is owed $72 mil after this year as an Eppler coup.
Yanks have the 14th ranked farm and I doubt they have one ML regular player in the entire system. A mid pack ranking is meaningless.
at least we don’t raise trolls as your parents did!
Not trolling, just presenting facts and giving my opinion.
my advice? head-bang a concrete wall. you will find the truth!
Judging from your posts, it sounds like you have found your truth using the concrete wall approach you describe.
I’ll pass.
@horace 2 games over 500 in a divison riff with strong competition. 3/4 teams have winning record….like i said previously if they had better pitching they would be higher up. Ranked top 5 in all offensive categories….you come across as a troll or just uneducated
Very well said
The Standing flux everyday and the only one that matters in the last one. The Angels are not a playoff team but do try to be competitive for a playoff position.. The Halos could not compete against any pitching staff in a ALDS or ALCS in this year. But Eppler has made them competitive and entertaining to watch . Trout signing will probably become an anchor in the last 2 years but also then Trout will be setting so many career marks (just like Pujols now) it will be still putting people in the seats. Enjoy what Eppler has done and hope he will build a pitching staff as he did the lineup soon (Angel fan since 68)
should us Tigers fans remind you that we signed Jordan Zimmerman to a $22mm a year contract until like 2021
True
Horace – Eppler brought our farm from dead last to top 10. That’s why we have the depth to take risks on guys like Harvey and Cahill. It was a reasonable signing for one year.
and i forgot to mention that he got justin upton for next to nothing.
————————————————————-
You owe him $72M over the next three years. I wouldn’t consider that nothing.
And Eppler paid $31M for Harvey, Cahill, Allen and Lucroy and got a negative WAR in return.
Mike Trout is still young we get to watch one of the greatest baseball players in the last 50 years don’t hate because you’re jealous
Opinion’s are like butt cracks. Everyone has one and yours stinks!
“When do you think the Angels even sniff October baseball?”
Next time look at the wild card standings first before making yourself look stupid bub
‘and i forgot to mention that he got justin upton for next to nothing.”
but in reality he did get him for next to nothing.. grayson long who was a minor leaguer retired.. and hes currently outplaying his contract by providing 3.4 fWAR of value
Yeah, you get to watch him lose. So fun.
When they play their last game of the year
“ranked top 5 in all offensive categories”
Let’s check that shall we?
11th in runs scored
12th in hrs
8th in OBP
12th in Slg %
10th in Batting average
Why do you constantly lie to make your point look better?
The Angels are not a good team.
Nor do they have a good farm system.
They are ranked anywhere from 16-21 and that’s with a top 5 overall.
When adell graduates the overall system is more in the low to mid twenties.
That’s not good for a team with no pitching and holes in the line up
24thekid this is the same salty kid that was upset ohtani choose angels over the lowly mariners. Lmao back to the cellars because of trader dipoto….3 different franchise one similar fate, last place and low ranked farm… lol
He gave Cody Allen 8.5 mil and Trevor Cahill 9 million so add Matt Harvey’s 11 million that’s 28.5 million dollars wasted. They should habe just went after Corbin instead but the Angels will not surround Mike Trout with any pitching talent.
Your also not recognizing that the commitment they have made come off books thus year all the deals you mentioned have repercussions for years to come lol
Eppler mimicking Cashman’s pitching moves, short commitment, lower dollar deals.
Most of those deals underwhelm, but at least they serve to keep the income and cash flow statements relatively unencumbered.
They did go after Corbin. Also tried to sign Nathan Eovaldi. Didn’t get either, but as you can tell contracts don’t always work out for teams.
This is the part where fans always show their card. “They should’ve just gone after…” Umm, they did. They went after all of the top arms on the market.
Going after is meaningless. It’s not like the players they went after took less to go elsewhere.
I’ll have to say Arte Moreno has bad judgment with GM’s hand-picked free agents Tony Regan Jerry dipoto Arte Moreno wanted Albert Pujols Josh Hamilton just the salary of those two players almost half of the the teams payroll budget it takes nine players in a lineup 25 players in a roster to win
This quick of a DFA and release, and what I’ve heard about Harvey and his reputation, leads me to believe that this may have to do with refusing to go to the bullpen.
I think the angels will pick up young Talent this trading deadline by training Kole Calhoun and Simmons
Calhoun not much value. Huge power numbers in a year when everyone has huge power numbers.
If they trade Simmons, they deserve pain. Good young shortstops are too important to trade.
One year contract.
$11 million dollars, wasted.
simple cost of doing biz in mlb. for you beggars it may just be too much.
If there’s one good thing about this whole disaster with angels free agents least they were all one-year contracts I hope the Angels learn their lesson stay away from players who have been injury-prone pitchers who have lost velocity we have enough Young infielders and a couple outfielders to move and trade Simmons and Calhoun for controllable pictures
What pitcher do you actually think you are getting for Calhoun?
The Angels fans are almost as dumb as the Mets fans.
A garbage corner outfielder is now bringing back good pitching
How many Angels games have you watched this season Boog? Go to Youtube and search Calhoun highlight videos. That guy is an amazing defender with a cannon for an arm., Do some research before you disparage a player you know nothing about.
Hey Boog. Not to beat a dead horse, but have you seen what Calhoun has done against the Dodgers today and yesterday both offensively and defensively? When you refer to someone as a “garbage corner outfielder” without knowing the facts, it makes you sound ignorant.
Mr Big West. As I stated below, Eppler brought our farm from dead last to top 10. That’s why we have the depth to take risks on guys like Harvey and Cahill. It was a reasonable signing for one year.
That’s why you don’t hear actual Angels fans bash Eppler. He has done a world of good for our team considering the budget he has to work with from the owner.
Stick a fork in him. Done like dinner. Cleanup in aisle 7.
I don’t think you realize how little money that is for a guy who owns a baseball team.
I agree Stansfield. 11m is not out of line. It was a gamble that didn’t work out. Everyone praised the 1 year contracts when they were made. This is exactly why they are a good idea in some cases.
Another player White Sox should take flyer on, given sorry state of rotation.
Right.
That was quick.
Maybe he needs a better Advocate
12 starts, 12appearances. Surprised they’re not even going to try to put him the bullpen
Good point. I’d force him into long relief before giving up entirely.
I think Cahill took that role. And he’s been fine at it.
He’s another one who thought he was great ala Andrew trashner.
Does he still pretend he’s Batman?
The nickname never made any sense. Anyway, any supermodels still letting him pick their noses anymore?
He’s making 11 million dollars this season. I think that is enough to score a couple of dates.
Sure, not supermodels though…
This really is the second act low point setting up his major comeback.
Rangers should take a flyer on a minimum deal. Trade Minor and see if you can get another success story with Harvey. If not, no harm done. Our rotation sucks anyways and we’re pretty much out of the race.
I was thinking this as well. Time for the Rangers to have a fire sale honestly. Too many holes in lineup, rotation, and bullpen.
Dark day for the Dark knight
Matt Harvey. Well, he is got a name… And his agent is Scott Boras so no surprise he got his money…
Sad to see the decline in Harvey. Eppler took a chance on a rebound and Harvey’s arm was just not able to respond.
this dude flamed out fast
Yanks should sign him to minimum and send him to AAA to see if he cans find his stuff. Pitch him long relief.
No thanks. Party boy with zero talent at this stage of his career. Exactly what the Yanks look to avoid.
@billysbballz
Was thinking the same as you they could always sprinkle some of that Yankee pixie dust on him. Seems like most players this year have exceeded their expectations there. And Harvey has always wanted to be a Yankee. Maybe he works out as a starter or reliever, If not the Yankees can just release him. Win win situation.
He didn’t pitch that bad last out but his incentives & contract are an issue.
yes I know he had incentives in his contract don’t know if he was close to reaching those incentives since he hasn’t been pitching steady in the rotation one of Matt Harvey problems was he gave up a lot of 2 out 2 strike hits and runs
That’s what happens when you’re 3-5 with a 7.09 ERA in twelve starts plus a -0.6 WAR.
Imagine paying Matt Harvey $11 mil.
Also, imagine being Matt Harvey and getting paid $11 mil
I think owners are more comfortable giving more money on a one-year contract then a multi-year contract for multi millions of dollars
Royals
The guy is in complete denial of what kind of pitcher he is. If you read his quotes from the last week or two, you start to see that he understands he doesn’t have the same stuff anymore, but can’t change his approach. If that never changes, he’ll never make it back to the MLB.
Many sites and lists during the off season had Harvey signing for about $11 Mil, some even had him signing for multiple year. The fact that the Angel’s signed him and he didn’t work out, hurts. Still it feeds those who don’t like the ownership or management group. Lots of bitterness coming from non team fans. Some are still bitter that the best player in baseball extended there and there team couldn’t get him. I’m not a fan of the Angel’s but even I see this sour milk bitterness from some when it comes to them and other teams.
.
Big facts! A ton of haters!
Trout is the best player possibly in the last 70 years and he’s totally irrelevant.
MLB is obsessed with marketing and expanding the game, yet it allows many of the best players to play for teams that are, again, irrelevant.
Cashman seemed to let Eppler go with no real effort to keep him in the organization. His tenure in Anaheim has been less than successful.
You say bitterness, I prefer schadenfreude. Also I’m looking forward to the owner’s greed eventually biting them in the behind.
But that’s just me…
70 years? I don’t think he’s that good yet.
Trout is the one who resigned with this garbage ball club, MLB had nothing to do with it. Doesn’t seem winning means all that much to Trout. He took the big bucks to play in meaningless games.
Your points are valid. Trout definitely likes being out of the limelight. Part of the problem is though seeing what others like JDM, Bryce, Manny, etc. go through in FA.
Trout even mentioned that as one of the reasons he welcomed the extension. So the owners, meaning MLB, did have something significant to do with him grabbing the bucks.
It was the right thing for him, it wasn’t the right thing for the game, in terms of showcasing its greatest talents and expanding the game.
“Trout definitely likes being out of the limelight.”
Quite a foolish thing to say about a guy who signed long-term to play in Southern California.
“It was the right thing for him, it wasn’t the right thing for the game, in terms of showcasing its greatest talents and expanding the game.”
It actually was the right thing for the game because few players choose to play for one team their entire career. He will soon be the all time face of the Angels’ franchise.
Its Anaheim not LA. trout is a low key guy from a small time. He doesn’t want to be in the spotlight . Hes actually said that quite a few times. He still lives at home ..married the same girl hes dated since high school instead of going after a model or an actress
There is no such thing as MLB allowing its best players to play on teams that supposedly irrelevant. That’s the player’s choice. And define irrelevant. Any organization can rise up and become a winner at any time. The Angels struggled for 40 years and then suddenly dominated their division for almost a decade. Remember where the Astros were before their current run? The purpose of having a star playing for what you call an irrelevant team has to do with building a foundation, like what the Padres are doing around Manny Machado. That’s the whole point. Plus, superstars playing for struggling teams has always been a part of the game. Ken Griffey, Ted Williams, and Tony Gwynn can tell you all about that.
Naive take. Machado didn’t choose San Diego, same for Bryce and JDM. There was a surprising dearth of interest by most of the owners despite the game being more profitable than ever.
They were led there by the actions of most of the owners.
The Astros succeeded. Now look at the failures, like the White Sox.
Going back to Williams, pre-wild card (s) and most of Gwynn’s career is disingenuous. The game is very different now. The Wild Cards were supposed to increase competition.
and your parents still made a troll!
Please grow up. Refute what I say by presenting facts and opinion like I did. If anyone is the troll, it’s you.
Or better yet, go enjoy the Angels beating up the Mariners. You won’t get to play them again this year.
countless people have tried to reason with you but failed. you have no brain to make coherent argument but keeps on arranging words in jumbles. try banging. you may finally have some logic built. but doubt it.
Nothing jumbled about what I wrote. This post of yours however is very telling about your state of mind.
See ya.
get gone, troll!
@viz thank you! I wasnt gonna be the one to say it but oh man this guy is a few marble short of a full set lol. Saying mike trout isnt worth his contract is crazy going for another 10 war season and already passed hall of fame players at age 27 lol
How exactly are the White Sox failures!? Especially compared to the Angels!? I realize they’re a franchise of futility like their crosstown brethren, yet I’m not too sure how they’re your example of “failure” as you put it?
Horace… so MLB should not allow players to play where they want? Comments like that show how bitter you really are.
Sit back, open a beer, and enjoy the game.
Nah, not bitter, just not gullible.
I bet you’re one of those people that believes no one landed on the moon. Or the earth is flat. Or vaccines are going to kill you.
I don’t think any GM is going to hold an assistant back without letting them have an opportunity of being a GM for a major league team
Minor league deal with an opt out on Sept 2 seems about right if he wants it.
It’s the Angels, what can one expect from this organization? Some organization just don’t get It as well as others. The Angels are a good example of that.
HaloShame… do you live for hating the Angels and trolling their fans?
if he was any good at it….
He legitimately ONLY has negative things to say at all times. Absolute worst “fan” of all time. Convinced that’s he’s actually astrosshane and just gets in these threads to rabble-rouse. If you can’t hang with a team while they struggle, you don’t deserve to be there when they turn it around.
Can’t wait for the Pirates to scoop him up and call it “going all in” ….
If I’m Tampa Bay, I would sign him to a 2-year, incentivized, contract with a club option for a third. Let him just take his time and get better.
Tampa look to sign good players at a discount, not taking flyers on bums looking for their third or fourth chances.
James Loney anyone?
Going to be a dark night for him
He’s still making his $11m this year.
Last contract he’ll ever get most likely
When he had that meltdown at Shea in the ‘15 World Series, my immediate thought was “this dude’s run as an elite pitcher is over.” Not just coughing up the game, but the way it transpired when Terry Collins (rightly) decided to take him out after 8. I take no small amount of delight from the fact that the Royals broke him.
No team is as capable of overpaying as is the Angels. Keep it up!!
it’s okay it all comes off the books next year I believe the angels will be more shrewd spending their money and bringing up homegrown Talent an trading for young controllable pitchers or pitching prospects I believe the angels will trade Calhoun and Simmons
He can get back stronger sing it with the Brewers
Personally I wouldn’t mind seeing the Yanks take a minor league contract/minimum salary deal on Harvey and let him work out his issues in AAA. Another team that could help out Harvey would be the Astros or perhaps even the Pirates
I mean you can cry about this GM all you want. the fact is they have a potentially really good middle infield with with Fletcher and la Stella. Albeit, this contact is really bad. Harvey showed some life last year. I would’ve incentive the 10 mil based on innings and starts. However, development is there. So is believing in your franchise player by locking him up. Now they need is actual pitching, which is the hardest thing to get locked down.
I don’t care at all, but $11M felt high. His ceiling seems like a #3. It shouldn’t have worked out as badly as it did, but this guy is also kind of a mess. The guy spent more time trying to get on the cover of magazines than playing BB. Which isn’t a terrible thing, but he also disappeared to attend hockey games and other events. Even when you’re good, it is really bad optics.
I’m guessing the brewers might take a look since they like pitchers who aren’t doing well like smyly and miller
The Brewers don’t need him
As a Reds Fan I remember people were going nuts in the forums because we didn’t resign this guy I guess this one of few moves that actually worked
I know right.. he had some decent starts at the end of last season, was hitting 95 and looked like he might turn things around. Glad they didn’t bring him back tbh. Expected some regression but it’s sad to see him struggle. Not saying I feel sorry for a multimillionaire tho…
Why cant we feel bad for people who are rich?
I would think this guy gets one more shot with a team that thinks they can fix him, and then his next stop is the independent league.
The Mets treasure is everyone else’s garbage.
At least that “great pitching staff” of Harvey, deGrom, Syndergaard, Matz, and Wheeler had all those epic seasons of greatness, otherwise all of this tied to them would be just laughable considering the hype. With all the greatness they have accomplished, when they are all in Cooperstown, all of this will be forgotten.
Be a great pick up for the Rangers. It cant hurt anything. Plus they need some kinda help
Brewers should take him
The Angels front office has done an awful job of acquiring quality starting pitching over the years. They’re almost as inept as the Orioles.
In the last for years one angel starter, ONE, entered the season in the starting rotation and didn’t go on the DL. That was Ricky Nolasco who was out of baseball the next year. People really need to have some context.
Current injuries are not an excuse. The Angels haven’t had an Ace since Weaver. They don’t develop quality pitching in their farm system, and they never spend money on quality FA pitchers. It’s bizarre.
Garrett Richards. Before the injuries set in during 2016 he was a legitimate TOR starter. Skaggs was a legitimate middle to back of the rotation MLB starter. Two guys they developed. Canning is looking like he will be as well. If you had asked me on opening day I would have said Barria was as well, but he struggled mightily this season.
They do not seem to go after top notch FA pitching. I am sure that as well as he pitched in 2018, the Angels were counting on Cahill to be good this season too. They have traded for a few that seemed like they were going to be before they got injured like Heaney,
Padres should sign him and see if Darren Balsly can fix him.
I was thinking the same thing.
I call that collecting garbage
If they do that they’re also gonna have to hire an oncologist.
His velocity has fallen so far that he is probably not a good candidate even in the pen. I think that if he was still throwing harder and willing to go to the pen he would still be an Angel.
Maybe a setup guy?
Someone should take a chance on Harvey and convert him to a reliever. Let him just focus on throwing his 2 best pitches to get 3 outs per outing.
Harvey back to NYM
The Dark Knight plummets. Not even 1986 Frank Miller could revive Matt Harvey’s career.
Harvey’s one of if not the biggest frauds in the history of MLB.
Wow, the Angels cut him just before he was set to get 250k for each start.
Don’t think it’s a good idea to do that to a Boras client.
Guess who represents Gerrit Cole?
All these things tie together.
Expect Cole to go elsewhere next year.
Penny wise, dollar foolish.
Is Boras vindictive when a team excercises a safety provision of a contract of an overpayed lousy player?
If this isn’t Oakland A’s territory I don’t know what is. My prediction is that they’ll sign him on a minor league deal, reach into their toybox of used parts and see which ones fit, roll him out with the playoff race reinvigorating him. The A’s pitcher-friendly confines will play up his ability, producing a few outings that are reminiscent of his glory days, The dream – (He will then propel them through the playoffs and into the World Series) The probability – (He will be a fine 2 month acquisition that solidified the A’s into the wild-card game, where they once again fizzle out quickly.) Ahh, the life of an A’s fan. We are a long-suffering bunch, but always hopeful!
All the haters on here is wild. On opening day the Angels were projected to win 82 games. They are 3 games over .500 today. It seems to me that that are exactly where everyone expected them to be.
The Mets should have traded him when he had vaule. It will be fun to see which of their pitchers is the next matt harvey. Doubt they trade any of their pitchers. Zach wheeler would have netted them two top 100’s last year. They would be lucky to get one this year.