Mets righty Matt Harvey is set to return from the disabled list Friday against the Astros, as Mike Puma of the New York Post notes. Harvey has been out since mid-June with a shoulder injury and hasn’t overwhelmed in his four rehab starts, but the Mets were enthused about his last outing, Puma writes. “When he threw in Double-A last time, the reports weren’t all that glowing,” says pitching coach Dan Warthen. “But [minor league pitching coordinator] Glenn Abbott was raving about this last one. Matt’s delivery was the same every pitch, and everything was coming out cleanly.” Harvey has seen most of his last two seasons derailed by injuries, but he’ll have a chance to salvage something from the 2017 season after pitching to a 5.25 ERA, 6.9 K/9 and 4.5 BB/9 in 70 1/3 innings before hitting the DL. Here’s more from the National League.
- Nationals righty Erick Fedde threw with less velocity than usual on Sunday, pitching in the 89-91 MPH range after previously throwing around 94, Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post writes. Fedde says he’s “not too worried about” the loss in velocity and attributes it to the approaching end of the season. Fedde, though, is still just under 100 innings for the season between the minors and the Majors after throwing 121 last year. Janes does note that Fedde has lately demonstrated a better-rounded repertoire than he showed in Spring Training, with a slower curveball and changeup to go along with his fastball and slider.
- The Pirates’ rotation hasn’t been overwhelming this season, but they have had good depth they largely haven’t needed, as Stephen J. Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes. The Bucs have only used six starters, and one of those, Tyler Glasnow, has a 1.99 ERA with Triple-A Indianapolis and hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since early June. Steven Brault (1.94 ERA, 8.2 K/9, 3.3 BB/9, 52.2 GB%) has also fared well at Triple-A, with Drew Hutchison, Clay Holmes and Nick Kingham all also getting fairly good results. “It’s a good lesson in humility and patience,” says Brault. “You have to realize it’s not what you’re doing that’s wrong. Sometimes there’s just not a spot.” The Pirates control the rights to everyone in their current rotation for at least two more seasons beyond this one, so an offseason move or two could be a possibility, with Gerrit Cole perhaps being on the trading block. Kingham will be out of options next season, making his name one to watch as well. Of course, rotation depth charts have a way of changing quickly.
Harvey is starting to remind me of Matt Cain, except earlier in his career
Yes because they both have two first names
no, cain is not
Yes, Cain is
natsgm: You are correct. Cain is indeed a first name.
That’s an Abel reply, Grasshopper…..
Literally a bible story about two brothers named CAIN and abel. So yes cain is a first name.
Cain was a better pitcher longer than Harvey. He also is not a clubhouse problem.
Bet the Nats wish they would’ve sent out fedde instead of giolito,Lopez, or dunning.
Though good yesterday. Giolito hasn’t exactly tore it up.
Except for maybe Dunning, the Gnats really didn’t have much of a choice in the matter….The acquiring team demanded Giolito and Lopez in order to get those trades done…
Yeah I know. 100% could’ve kept dunning over fedde but hindsight is 20/20.
I think Harvey’s pretty much done. Maybe try him in the bullpen, but its been a while since he was very good.
Nova and Taillon are both tired and struggling, it shouldn’t be too hard to find starts for Glasnow and Kingham. Brault and Holmes can pitch out of the bullpen. There is no reason to see Benoit again this year.
Williams and Kuhl have flashed a lot of promise. Taillon is a great #2 when he’s healthy and right.
Glasnow’s problems are between his ears. His deer in the headlights look while on the mound is pretty epic. If he can calm down and just do what he does in AAA, he could be a difference maker.
The best case scenario would be Glasnow putting together a string of dominant outings to end the season allowing them to trade Gerritt Cole in the winter, since the expected asset replenishment from a Cutch trade looks unlikely to materialize.
How is it that Kingham is out of options?
He was added to the 40-man roster after the 2014 season to protect him from the Rule V Draft, so this is his 3rd and final option year.
I think Glasnow getting a look in September is a must. He has the talent…way too early to give up on him. There is a lot of analysis out there that says really tall pitchers need more time to develop mechanics also.
Harvey is washed up- he is too much like the 1986 Mets.., and not in a good way…
Harvey returning to pitch in Houston. Right after hurricane Harvey. What a sadly appropriate coincidence for the Mets season.
Any reports on Harvey’s velo in his last rehab outing?
Low, and not getting better but it was his first game back so we’ll see.
Kingham seems a likely fit for the Royals