Matt Harvey

Matt Harvey Announces Retirement

By Nick Deeds | May 5, 2023 at 9:23am CDT

Former All-Star right-hander Matt Harvey took to instagram this morning to announce his retirement. “I have to say this is my time to say thank you, and goodbye.” Harvey writes, “To the fans, and most importantly the NY Mets fans: you made a dream come true for me. A dream I could have never thought to come true. Who would have thought a kid from Mystic, CT would be able to play in the greatest city in the world, his hometown. You are forever embedded in my heart.”

The seventh overall pick in the 2010 draft, Harvey was selected by the Mets and made his debut during the 2012 campaign. During that ten start cup of coffee in 2012, Harvey pitched to a sterling 2.73 ERA (140 ERA+) with a 3.30 FIP, but that was just a taste of what was to come, as the following season ended up being the best of Harvey’s career by a wide margin.

In 178 1/3 innings of work in 2013, Harvey posted a phenomenal 2.27 ERA (157 ERA+) with a league-leading 2.01 FIP. He struck out 27.7% of batters he faced that season while walking just 4.5%. That performance not only earned him the lone All-Star appearance of his career, but a top four finish in Cy Young Award voting. Unfortunately, Harvey’s phenomenal year was cut short when he required Tommy John surgery, missing the end of the 2013 campaign and the entirety of 2014 while rehabbing.

He returned to the mound in 2015 with another strong season, posting a 2.71 ERA and 3.05 FIP over 189 1/3 innings of work in the regular season. Harvey went on to pitch for the Mets during the postseason, posting a 3.04 ERA in 26 2/3 innings of work as the Mets advanced past the Dodgers and the Cubs to face the Royals in the World Series.

Harvey’s injury woes would return in 2016, however, as Harvey struggled to an uncharacteristic 4.86 ERA in 92 2/3 innings of work before being shut down for the season in July to undergo surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome. Following the procedure, Harvey was never quite the same pitcher, as he struggled both in terms of results and to stay on the field. He posted a 6.15 ERA in 446 2/3 innings of work following his 2016 surgery.

Designated for assignment by the Mets early in the 2018 season, he would go on to pitch for the Reds, Angels, Royals, and Orioles before serving a 60-game suspension for “participating in the distribution of a prohibited Drug of Abuse in violation of Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.” The suspension came after Harvey testified in the trial of former communications director of the Angels Eric Kay, who was convicted of distributing fentanyl that resulted in the death of former pitcher Tyler Skaggs. During the trial, Harvey testified that he had provided Skaggs with Percocet pills.

Following his suspension, Harvey returned to the mound in the minor leagues, posting a 3.71 ERA in 70 1/3 innings. Harvey then pitched for Team Italy during the World Baseball Classic this spring, where he posted a 1.29 ERA in seven innings of work over two starts, leaving his baseball career on a high note.

All in all, Harvey ends his career with a 4.42 ERA in 966 1/3 innings with 50 wins and 867 strikeouts. MLBTR wishes Harvey the best as he transitions in whatever comes next following his playing career.

Matt Harvey Hoping To Sign With MLB Club

By Darragh McDonald | March 16, 2023 at 7:36pm CDT

Right-hander Matt Harvey didn’t make it to the big leagues last year but is hoping for another shot, per Jon Heyman of The New York Post.

Harvey, turning 34 this month, didn’t make it into a major league game last year for the first time since 2014. He signed a minor league deal with the Orioles but was handed a 60-game suspension from Major League Baseball. Harvey testified in the trial of former Angels communications director Eric Kay. Harvey testified that he provided Tyler Skaggs with Percocet pills. Kay was convicted by a Fort Worth jury of distributing fentanyl that resulted in the death of Skaggs. Harvey was granted immunity from criminal prosecution for his testimony but was handed that suspension from MLB. After serving his suspension, he threw 70 1/3 innings in the minors last year, posting a 3.71 ERA.

Harvey underwent knee surgery towards the end of last year and hoped to make it back for 2023. It seems his rehab from that procedure went fine, as he recently suited up for Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic. While returning to health was surely encouraging, he also posted good results, allowing just a single earned run in seven innings. He only record three strikeouts in that time but also issued just a single walk and allowed only four hits.

Harvey’s strikeout stuff has been on the decline for pretty much his whole career. He punched out 28.6% of hitters in his debut season and that swooned to the mid-teens in recent years. Though his fastball now sits in the 89-91 mph range, he believes he’s figured out how to work with that kind of stuff. “Obviously I’m not pumping mid-to-upper-90s anymore — at least not yet. Hopefully, the velo comes back. But if it doesn’t, I feel like I still know how to pitch and to get guys out,” Harvey said. “I’ve worked really hard on a different style of pitching. I feel good. Hopefully the stuff comes back. But I can still pitch. The game is still about getting people out.” He was especially proud of his control, saying that he “could have thrown it into a tea cup.”

Harvey had a really strong run earlier in his career but has been set back by various injuries. In 2015, he made 29 starts for the Mets with a 2.71 ERA in 189 1/3 innings. However, his ERA jumped to 4.86 the year after and he hasn’t been able to get it lower than that since. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2014, thoracic outlet syndrome surgery in 2016 and knee surgery last year.

It’s certainly been a rollercoaster, but Harvey is hoping to get another shot. “Hopefully someone gives me a chance,” he tells Heyman. Despite his nice showing in the WBC in recent weeks, he’ll be limited to minor league deals based on his lack of recent success in the majors. With Opening Day now two weeks away, various clubs have been dealing with blows to their rotation depth. Andrew Painter of the Phillies, Cade Cavalli of the Nationals and José Quintana of the Mets are just some of the pitchers looking at significant absences around the league and perhaps leading those clubs to seek out some extra depth.

Matt Harvey Undergoes Knee Surgery, Hopes To Pitch In 2023

By Anthony Franco | October 28, 2022 at 8:53pm CDT

Right-hander Matt Harvey underwent knee surgery last month, agent Scott Boras tells Joel Sherman of the New York Post. It isn’t clear whether the procedure is expected to affect his readiness for Spring Training, but Boras tells Sherman that Harvey plans to attempt to make it back to the majors next year.

The 2022 campaign was the first since 2014 in which Harvey didn’t pitch in the majors. He missed the ’14 campaign rehabbing from Tommy John surgery but had otherwise been a fairly frequent presence in the big leagues since his 2012 debut. After a few ace-level performances through 2015, he’s consistently struggled. Harvey has settled into journeyman territory, pitching for five different teams and posting a combined 6.00 ERA in 354 innings since the start of the 2018 season.

Over the offseason, Harvey testified to providing former teammate Tyler Skaggs with Percocet in the trial against former Angels communications director Eric Kay. Kay was convicted of providing Skaggs with the drugs that led to his death, while Harvey was granted immunity from criminal prosecution for his testimony. That raised the possibility of an MLB-levied suspension for drug distribution. The Orioles re-signed him to a minor league contract in April, and Harvey was suspended for 60 games in mid-May.

After serving that ban, Harvey reported to Baltimore’s top affiliate in Norfolk. He started 10 games for the Tides, putting up a 4.31 ERA through 54 1/3 innings. That decent run prevention was in spite of a modest 18.5% strikeout rate and an untenable 2.32 home runs allowed per nine innings. Harvey didn’t pitch after September 8, presumably on account of the knee issue, and didn’t appear in the majors.

The 33-year-old (34 in March) will hit the open market again this offseason. It remains to be seen whether he’ll land another minor league contract with a big league club.

Matt Harvey Suspended 60 Games For Violation Of Joint Drug Agreement

By Anthony Franco | May 17, 2022 at 3:18pm CDT

Major League Baseball announced that Orioles minor league pitcher Matt Harvey has been suspended 60 games for “participating in the distribution of a prohibited Drug of Abuse in violation of Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.” The suspension retroactively begins on April 29, meaning Harvey will first be eligible to return in late June. He is not on the O’s 40-man roster.

Harvey was one of multiple players called to testify in the trial of former Angels communications director Eric Kay, who was eventually convicted by a Fort Worth jury of distributing fentanyl that resulted in the death of former pitcher Tyler Skaggs. A series of players admitted on the witness stand they’d been provided opiates by Kay, but Harvey testified he’d also provided Skaggs with Percocet pills. Harvey had been granted immunity from criminal prosecution.

Today’s suspension is for that admission he’d given Skaggs a controlled substance, explaining why none of the other players who testified have been suspended. T.J. Quinn of ESPN reported in February that Harvey was facing a possible 60-90 day ban for drug distribution, and the league has indeed levied punishment.

Harvey was a free agent at the time of the trial. The Orioles re-signed him to a minor league deal in April, but he has yet to report to an affiliate after missing Spring Training. Baltimore was obviously aware of the possibility of a suspension at the time they signed him.

Orioles general manager Mike Elias told reporters today the club “(supports) all aspects of MLB’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program and their ruling in this particular case. … I am glad that Matt now has the opportunity to put this part of his past behind him and pursue another shot with our organization after serving his suspension” (via Rich Dubroff of Baltimore Baseball).

Orioles Sign Matt Harvey To Minor League Deal

By Steve Adams | April 8, 2022 at 1:18pm CDT

APRIL 8: Baltimore announced they’ve signed Harvey to a minor league contract. He’ll make a prorated $1MM salary for any time spent in the big leagues, reports Dan Connolly of the Athletic, with a $500K assignment bonus in the event of a trade.

APRIL 7: The Orioles are close to bringing right-hander Matt Harvey back to the organization on a minor league deal, tweets MLB Network’s Jon Heyman. The Boras Corporation client will report to extended Spring Training and build up toward a potential debut relatively early in the season.

Harvey, 33, spent the 2021 season in Baltimore and soaked up 127 2/3 innings while getting knocked around to the tune of a 6.27 ERA. His fastball, which once averaged 96.9 mph, sat at 93.6 mph, while his 16.3% strikeout rate was among the lowest marks of his career. Harvey’s 6.4% walk rate was considerably better than the league average, but the once-vaunted righty didn’t give much other reason to hope for a return to his “Dark Knight” form.

The Orioles, however, aren’t attempting to compete in 2022 anyhow and need some extra arms to eat innings in a similar role that Harvey held last season. He clearly made a solid impression on the organization and in the clubhouse, so he’ll have the opportunity to return for a second season.

Harvey was in the spotlight this offseason as a witness in the trial of former Angels communications director Eric Kay, who has been charged with providing opioids that led to the death of Tyler Skaggs. Harvey acknowledged on the stand that he has previously used opioids and other drugs, particularly during his time with the Mets, but the right-hander has by all accounts moved past that history of drug abuse. Orioles GM Mike Elias acknowledged to reporters that Harvey’s role in the Kay/Skaggs trial does make it a “very unique situation” (link via Nathan Ruiz of the Baltimore Sun).

AL East Notes: Pearson, Borucki, Harvey, Judge, Meadows, Rays, Pollock

By Mark Polishuk | April 2, 2022 at 5:12pm CDT

The Blue Jays are dealing with some injury concerns in their bullpen, as Nate Pearson is dealing with a non-COVID illness and Ryan Borucki left yesterday’s game with discomfort in his right hamstring. Jays manager Charlie Montoyo told Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith (Twitter link) and other reporters that Borucki will undergo an MRI. More will be known about Borucki’s situation when the MRI results are in, but for Pearson, his illness has limited him to only two appearances thus far in Grapefruit League action.

In all likelihood, Pearson’s illness will keep him from making Toronto’s Opening Day roster. While this issue seems less serious than the other injuries that have sidelined the righty over the last two years, it represents yet another setback for the former top prospect. As for Borucki, the southpaw has been a pretty solid reliever when healthy, though he missed almost all of the 2019 season due to elbow problems and over two months of last season with a forearm strain. If another IL stint is required for Borucki, Tim Mayza will be the only left-hander in the Jays’ projected bullpen, which could open the door for Anthony Kay, Tayler Saucedo, or Andrew Vasquez to break camp.

Report: Matt Harvey Facing Possible Suspension Related To Drug Distribution

By Anthony Franco | February 16, 2022 at 6:07pm CDT

Free agent right-hander Matt Harvey testified yesterday during the ongoing trial of former Angels communications director Eric Kay, who is accused of distributing the drugs that led to the tragic 2019 death of Tyler Skaggs. On the stand, Harvey — who was granted immunity from criminal prosecution — admitted to providing Skaggs with Percocet pills shortly before Skaggs’ death.

An MLB official tells T.J. Quinn of ESPN that Harvey could face a suspension between 60 and 90 days for distributing controlled substances. MLB said in a statement that it will “conduct a comprehensive review of the potential violations of our drug program” after the conclusion of the trial. Kay’s defense team rested its case this afternoon. Closing arguments are scheduled to take place tomorrow morning, and it’s expected that jury deliberations will begin not long after.

The matter is further complicated by the ongoing MLB lockout. Quinn writes that the league cannot pursue discipline until after a new collective bargaining agreement is reached. The Joint Drug Agreement between the league and MLB Players Association has been suspended by the lockout, also resulting in a pause on drug testing (both for drugs of abuse and performance-enhancing substances) for MLBPA members.

Four other former members of the Angels also testified about opioid usage during Kay’s trial. C.J. Cron (now with the Rockies), Cam Bedrosian (on a minor league deal with the Phillies) and free agent Mike Morin testified yesterday, while free agent reliever Blake Parker took the stand this afternoon. All four players admitted to using drugs given to them by Kay, but only Harvey said he’d ever distributed drugs to anyone else. Quinn writes that the cases of Cron, Bedrosian, Morin and Parker are likely to be referred to a treatment board for the creation of a treatment program. Unless those players have previously been disciplined for drugs of abuse — referrals to the treatment board are not typically made public — they would not face the possibility of suspension.

Multiple MLB Players Testify In Eric Kay Trial

By Steve Adams | February 15, 2022 at 5:32pm CDT

Rockies first baseman C.J. Cron, free-agent right-handers Matt Harvey and Mike Morin, and Phillies righty Cam Bedrosian were called as witnesses in the ongoing Eric Kay trial today, as covered in detail by ESPN’s T.J. Quinn and The Athletic’s Sam Blum. Kay, formerly the Angels director of communications, is accused of providing the pills that led to the tragic death of left-hander Tyler Skaggs.

In questioning Skaggs’ former teammates, the prosecution sought to prove that Kay alone was the source of the pills that proved fatal. Kay’s defense looked to create reasonable doubt in that allegation and bring to light the possibility that Skaggs could have received the drugs from another source.

Each of Harvey, Cron, Morin and Bedrosian admitted to using oxycodone that was provided to them by Kay — Harvey, Morin and Bedrosian during their time with the Angels, and Cron both during his time with the Angels and, at least once, during his time as a member of the Rays. Harvey acknowledged that Skaggs, at one point, spoke of another source of pills — an unnamed contact in Santa Monica. Cron indicated during his testimony that Kay was, to his knowledge, Skaggs’ only source of pills. Kay provided Cron himself with pills around eight times, Cron said.

Morin acknowledged being provided with pills on five to six occasions, detailing a payment scheme wherein he would leave cash in a locker room cubby, which Kay would then replace with pills. It was Skaggs who introduced him to the possibility of procuring pills from Kay, according to Morin’s testimony. He later added that Kay was not profiting from providing the players with drugs. Bedrosian also indicated he received pills from Kay, later stating that he was “scared” upon hearing of Skaggs’ death because he’d “taken those (same drugs) a couple of times” himself.

Harvey stated within his testimony that he did not know Skaggs to have a problem. (Dodgers hurler Andrew Heaney — Skaggs’ close friend and former teammate in Anaheim — testified last week that he was also unaware Skaggs had an opioid issue). Harvey spoke this afternoon of the lengths to which active players will go to remain on the field in the face of severe injury. He candidly acknowledged, when prompted, that today’s testimony could negatively impact his own playing career moving forward. Morin, meanwhile, stated he stopped using after leaving the Angels organization, citing the mental toll of failing to meet his lofty expectations for himself as a catalyst for his usage.

The prosecution rested their case against Kay this afternoon. The trial will resume tomorrow morning, at which time the defense will present its case. The finer details of the players’ testimonies are available both at ESPN and at The Athletic, for those who wish to delve into the full breadth of the scandal. Broadly speaking, today’s testimonies both underscore the likelihood of prescription drug abuse on a greater level than many fans realize and provide additional context to the sad and untimely death of Skaggs.

Seven Years And Counting For The Orioles Rotation

By TC Zencka | January 8, 2022 at 10:39am CDT

Though the Giants have made putting together a starting rotation look easy, most teams struggling to contend know how complex a process building a competent pitching staff can be. Bullpens are fickle, so consistency in run prevention is best guaranteed with a reliable rotation.

The Baltimore Orioles know the challenge better than most. The rotation at Camden Yards finished 26th in 2021 by measure of fWAR, but last with a 5.99 ERA and 5.41 FIP. In fact, their rotation has finished in the bottom-10 by ERA AND FIP in every season since 2014. That’s a pretty remarkable run of incompetence. It’s almost impressive, especially considering they were able to overcome those subpar rotations to make the playoffs in 2016 and finish .500 in 2015.

The Orioles invested in their rotation this offseason for the first time in GM Mike Elias’ tenure. Small as that investment was (they signed Jordan Lyles to a one-year, $7MM guarantee with a team option for a second season), it’s a step in the right direction. Lyles alone isn’t going to keep the Orioles from an 8th consecutive season with a bottom-10 rotation. He made 30 starts in 2021 and finished with exactly 0.0 fWAR, after all. But he also tossed 180 innings, which makes a difference in saving a bullpen and providing enough breathing room for young rotation arms to thrive.

Forget productivity for a moment. The Orioles rotation will have a watchable rotation if and when D.L. Hall and Grayson Rodriguez establish themselves in the Majors. That duo is likely to start next season in Triple-A, but they’re close. When they arrive, there’s going to be some honest-to-god excitement around Baltimore’s rotation. That duo probably won’t have a full season in the bigs until 2023, however.

There’s at least one more season of fungible, fill-in-the-blanks taking the bump in Baltimore. Just because the big-name prospects aren’t set to arrive doesn’t mean there’s no progress to be made this season. After all, with Lyles and presumptive ace John Means, they’re in a better place than usual.

Rich Dubroff of Baltimorebaseball.com went through each of their internal candidates to fill out the rotation behind Means and Lyles. Dubroff lists Keegan Akin, Mike Baumann, Dean Kremer, Zac Lowther, Alexander Wells, and Bruce Zimmermann as the incumbent candidates, with Zimmermann as the most accomplished of the group, even if he was most successful as a long man out of the pen.

The other way to build out the rotation, of course, is through free agency. The Orioles aren’t probably going to spend any more than they already have in terms of a one-year salary, but for free agents at the bottom of the hierarchy, Baltimore offers more opportunity than most other rotations around the game. Matt Harvey is the mold, a former star looking to rehabilitate his image.

Harvey posted 1.9 fWAR but only a 6.27 ERA, but he did make 28 starts and toss 127 2/3 innings in 2021. A 4.60 FIP suggests Harvey might have something left in the tank. Besides, amazing though this is, Harvey’s 2021 ranks as the 13th-best output by fWAR during this seven-year run of Orioles’ bottom-feeding. There simply hasn’t been much success of any kind, even the tempered brand of success offered by Harvey in 2021.

Unfortunately for Baltimore, most teams looking for mid-season upgrades have higher standards than the Orioles. Their goal for 2022 should be to add arms that might actually be flippable at the deadline. Lyles qualifies, even if his numbers from last season aren’t all that inspiring.

Other names that might be available to Baltimore are Jose Urena, Mike Fiers, Aaron Sanchez, and/or Mike Foltynewicz. Guys with slightly more upside, say, Chris Archer, Drew Smyly, Chad Kuhl, or Steven Brault might cost a little more than Baltimore wants to spend. Carlos Martinez or Matthew Boyd might present the highest upside, either in terms of their current ability or their eventual trade value, but even those arms are higher up the totem pole than Baltimore has ventured in years past.

What could change that calculus is a trade of Means. There’s not a real high likelihood that Baltimore wants to move Means at this juncture, but if it means selling high on the southpaw, they might consider it. There are enough teams in need of pitching to make Baltimore listen to pitches. If they do move the 28-year-old, they’d probably be better off in the long run, but it all but guarantees another disastrous finish for their starting staff in 2022.

Frankly, Means isn’t unique enough of a talent to hold onto, should the prospect return be right. But teams also haven’t been eager to move prospects of value recently. The longer they hold onto Means, the more his salary will rise, and the lesser of a trade piece he becomes.

Then again, teams generally aren’t as desperate in the offseason because there are more options available and more margin for error with a full season ahead. If they hold onto Means to start the year, he will still have a year plus of team control at the deadline, and that might be just the right calculus to make a deal happen.

It’s not hard to blame the Orioles for holding onto Means. Prospects aren’t a sure thing. Kevin Gausman had the best season by fWAR (2016) of any Baltimore starter in this current era, and when they traded him, Zimmermann was a big part of the return. So it’s not as if trading off their starters has yielded the path to a turnaround.

The rub here is that GM Mike Elias has yet to actually try to build a winning rotation. His goal since his arrival has been to build a long-term competitive engine, a process that’s still very much in the works. So they can sign more free agents, and they can trade Means or hold onto him, but until Elias is willing to really give it a go, expect Baltimore’s rotation to stay in the bottom 10.

Orioles Select Eric Hanhold, Move Matt Harvey To 60-Day IL

By Mark Polishuk | September 12, 2021 at 10:06am CDT

The Orioles announced that right-hander Eric Hanhold’s contract has been selected from Triple-A. To create a 40-man roster spot, Matt Harvey has been moved from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day IL, which will officially end Harvey’s season.

Harvey went to the injured list earlier this week due to right knee inflammation, and the knee issue will cut short what has been an otherwise healthy season for the 32-year-old. That is a very notable silver lining given how injuries have plagued Harvey and stalled what once looked to be a very promising career, though beyond just staying on the field, Harvey didn’t have a great 2021.

Signed to a minor league deal with the O’s in February, Harvey earned the contract’s guaranteed $1MM salary after he was added to the team’s active roster prior to Opening Day. The righty has posted a 6.27 ERA/4.85 SIERA over 127 2/3 innings with Baltimore, with only a 16.3% strikeout rate that ranks in the seventh percentile of all qualified pitchers. While Harvey has a .331 BABIP and 60.4% strand rate, he has also allowed a lot of hard contract, so there hasn’t been too much misfortune baked into Harvey’s numbers.

Harvey will likely have to settle for another minor league deal from the Orioles or another team this winter as he looks to continue his career. With only a handful of games under his belt as a reliever at the MLB level, Harvey could potentially try to drum up interest by marketing himself as something other than a starter, perhaps opening himself up to long relief, swingman, or bulk pitcher roles to take advantage of his durability without being a full-fledged regular starting pitcher.

It was almost exactly two years ago to the day that Hanhold joined the Orioles organization, after Baltimore acquired him from the Mets via a waiver claim. Hanhold’s MLB resume consists of 2 1/3 innings with the Mets in 2018, and he has a 4.69 ERA over 340 career minor league innings. With only a modest 19.15% strikeout rate during his minor league career, Hanhold has relied on some strong grounder rates to retire batters.

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