Jacob deGrom said last week he'd be open to a long-term contract extension with the New York Mets, which spurred rumors about the future of the club's starting rotation. Matt Harvey apparently has the same feelings as deGrom. Now things may start to heat up.
"I think whatever comes up is going to come up," Harvey told Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com. "I've never shied away from it. I've never said I wouldn't consider it. But I haven't heard anything considering that."
Harvey is under club control through the 2018 season and he'll be a free agent among another deep class of talented MLB players: Jose Fernandez, Dallas Keuchel, Shelby Miller, Garrett Richards, Manny Machado, Josh Donaldson, Bryce Harper, Andrew McCutchen, A.J. Pollock, Michael Brantley, Adam Jones and others.
Rumors from over the weekend indicated that Fernandez, who is represented by Scott Boras (who also represents Harvey), is going to be looking for a contract that pays him $30 million per season once he becomes a free agent. Harvey, 26, is of Fernandez's caliber, which will now have many wondering if the Mets would be willing to consider such a large deal to avoid him signing with another MLB club.
General manager Sandy Alderson said earlier this month that the team was not talking with any of their players about contract extensions, but any mutual interest could bring discussions to life. Harvey and deGrom - two of the MLB's best pitchers - already spoke positively of the potential matter and would not rule out anything.
However, Boras, who was viewed as the villainous figure in the whole innings-limit debate involving Harvey this past season, seemingly has a cynical approach to potential talks.
"Expectations of an extension are like dinner invitations," Boras told Rubin. "They are always politely considered until you know the restaurant."
Boras and Harvey will more than likely be searching for the most lucrative agreement possible once the right-hander hits the open market. The Mets silenced their critics this offseason after making a number of moves in free agency and on the trade market, which now has their payroll approaching the $140 million figure.
They're clearly more open to the idea of spending, but the dollar figure Harvey might be able to command three years from now could be too overwhelming for the Mets depending on the position the team is in.
