New York Mets ace Matt Harvey is expected to return in 2015, but manager Terry Collins provided the reality of the situation. The Indians already have their ace set to pitch next season, but they added another arm to their rotation to provide depth.
Harvey underwent Tommy John surgery last October to repair a partial tear of his ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. The procedure forced him to miss the entire 2014 season, but he remains on track to return in 2015. However, Collins spoke to reporters on Tuesday and it appears Harvey will not be the Mets' Opening Day starter and could perhaps miss more time at the beginning of the season.
"The Mets are considering a plan in which Harvey is held back at the start of the season, perhaps until the home opener at Citi Field on April 13," writes Kevin Kernan of the New York Post. "Also, expect Harvey to be shut down for a few weeks in the summer as well to limit his innings, following his return from Tommy John surgery."
After general manager Sandy Alderson noted there would be a "soft innings cap" for the right-hander to avoid a hard shutdown date in the event the Mets were to make the playoffs, it's now believed Harvey could start the season on the disabled list or be placed in the DL at some point during the season to "extend his season," according to The Associated Press.
In 36 starts with the Mets, Harvey is 12-10 with a 2.39 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 261 strikeouts through 237 2/3 innings.
Gavin Floyd is another starter who suffered an elbow injury to his pitching arm, which forced him to make only nine starts in 2014 with the Atlanta Braves. The right-hander signed a one-year contract with the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday and he'll have a spot in the team's rotation if he stays healthy. The deal is worth $4 million and he has a chance to earn another $6 million in performance-based incentives.
Floyd has only made 14 starts in the past two seasons because he underwent Tommy John surgery in 2013 and suffered a fractured olecranon in his elbow in 2014. The 31-year-old is 72-72 with a 4.40 ERA and 1.33 WHIP in 208 games (196 starts) throughout his 11-year MLB career.
