The 25-year-old pitcher has permission to ramp up his rehab.
Eleven months after his last start in the big leagues, Matt Harvey will soon throw off a mound as he continues to rehab his arm following Tommy John surgery. Marc Carig of Newsday says it could be as soon as Friday:
Harvey has been cleared to throw off a mound for awhile, a source said. Mets finally allowing him to do so. Scheduled tentatively for Friday
— Marc Carig (@MarcCarig) July 30, 2014
For a team that saw its ace undergo Tommy John surgery last October, the Mets' pitching staff is in pretty good shape. Zack Wheeler is progressing nicely, while Bartolo Colon and Jon Niese have become steady veteran presences that can keep the Mets competitive whenever they take the hill. The club even has another main attraction in Jacob deGrom.
Still, the staff would be so much better with Matt Harvey in it. The young right-hander exploded onto the scene in 2013 with a 2.27 ERA and 0.93 WHIP in 178.1 innings pitched. However, Mets fans haven't seen Harvey pitch since last August 24. After a quality start against the Tigers, Harvey felt some discomfort in his elbow and decided to get it checked out in an MRI exam. The test showed a torn UCL that eventually led Harvey to opt for surgery on October 22.