New York Mets ace Matt Harvey will undergo surgery to correct thoracic outlet syndrome in his right arm and will miss the remainder of the 2016 MLB season, his agent Scott Boras announced Friday.
Adam Rubin of ESPN.com reported the news, and Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball noted Harvey has been having trouble feeling his fingertips all season.
Boras commented on the surgery, per Rubin:
The doctors clearly recommended that he have this done, mainly so that he can be ready for ’17. The rehab on this is six months. Now, if there was a small window of a season, you might be able to take a shot. It’s actually Botox, which relaxes the muscles. That’s not a long-term solution.
The only way this is going to be treated appropriately — and obviously we don’t want to do anything to affect next year — is to get this surgically taken care of.
Harvey tweeted his disappointment about the diagnosis:
Harvey, 27, went 4-10 with a 4.86 ERA and 1.47 WHIP in 17 starts. He struck out just 76 batters in 92.2 innings and struggled with his command and velocity throughout much of the year.
The Mets placed him on the disabled list Wednesday after he complained of shoulder pain. Harvey left Monday’s start against the Miami Marlins, having given up six runs on 11 hits in 3.2 innings. It was the second straight game Harvey failed to make it out of the fourth inning.
Dr. Robert Thompson diagnosed Harvey with thoracic outlet syndrome Thursday, at which point he was presented with the option of surgery or taking a nerve blocker. Surgery offers a four-month time frame before Harvey could pitch again, while the injections could have brought him back to the rotation at some point this season.
“It’s unclear how effective that would be or for how long,” Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said, per Rubin. “… I do believe that surgery is probably inevitable and more a question of timing than anything else. So, obviously, to the extent that we’re backed up for a period of time, it begins potentially to encroach on 2017 as well.”
The Mets (47-38) are in second place in the NL East and are trying to build on a surprise World Series appearance last year. Harvey was one of the biggest reasons for New York’s ascent, earning NL Comeback Player of the Year honors after returning from Tommy John surgery.
Questions may now arise about Harvey’s usage during that 2015 campaign. As noted by ESPN Stats & Info, Harvey’s 216 innings (including postseason) were the most of any player in his first year back from Tommy John. Boras and the Mets had a disagreement behind the scenes last season about Harvey’s usage; there was concern about his going over a 180-inning limit set by Dr. James Andrews.
While the injuries are different, some will no doubt draw the line and conclude Boras was right to look out for the best interest of his client.
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