UPDATE: Manager Terry Collins told Anthony DiComo of MLB.com that Harvey "looks like he'll be ready for Game 5."
-----
The New York Mets plan to start Matt Harvey in Game 5 of the NLCS if the series makes it that far, but there's a chance the right-hander may not be available due to swelling in his throwing arm. Rumors indicate Jon Niese or Bartolo Colon could be start if Harvey is unable to pitch.
Harvey was hit in the arm with a line drive in Game 1 of the NLCS. The ball that came off the bat of Cubs' leadoff hitter Dexter Fowler struck Harvey and he has been dealing with swelling in his right triceps ever since.
"New York Mets manager Terry Collins expressed concern about lingering swelling in Matt Harvey's right triceps and suggested that Bartolo Colon or Jonathon Niese might be needed to start for him in Game 5 on Thursday," Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com reported on Monday.
Harvey ended up tossing 7 2/3 innings in the Mets' Game 1 win over the Cubs on Saturday and allowed two earned runs on four hits and two walks. He struck out nine and lowered his postseason ERA to 2.84 with the impressive outing.
Mets' pitching coach Dan Warthen said he doesn't "foresee any problem" with Harvey starting Game 5, so that at least provides some reassurance, but the team will still have to wait and see how he feels later in the week. Game 5 is scheduled for Thursday night in Chicago.
As for his potential replacements, Colon and Niese both remained in the rotation for most of the regular season. Colon finished 14-13 with a 4.16 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 136 strikeouts in 33 games (31 starts) and Niese was 9-10 with a 4.13 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 113 strikeouts in 33 games (29 starts). The veterans were moved to the bullpen for the postseason.
Colon made three relief appearances in the NLDS and allowed two earned runs on three hits in four innings while Niese has pitched only 2/3 of an inning during the postseason, but recorded two strikeouts against the two batters he faced.
As for other rumors surrounding Harvey, the right-hander's agent, Scott Boras, was said to have bought arm insurance for him earlier in the year to secure his future.
"Boras bought the insurance right at the end of the regular season, when the innings-limit controversy was into its fourth week, at a time it was becoming fairly clear Harvey wasn't about to put down the ball, probably not even for a moment," writes Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. "The insurance is a two-tiered type, with a certain payout if there's a loss of earnings based on a slippage of performance, and a different payout if his promising career ends early."
Whatever the case, Harvey's arm looks great and as long as the swelling is contained and/or reduces, he should be good to go for Game 5.
