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Mets name Matt Harvey Opening Day starter against Royals

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Matt Harvey gets the ball first for the defending National League champs on Sunday Night Baseball in Kansas City on April 3.Matt Slocum/AP

Matt Harvey gets the ball first for the defending National League champs on Sunday Night Baseball in Kansas City on April 3.

PORT ST. LUCIE — The Mets made the obvious choice Thursday. Despite having a stable of four of the top young pitchers in the game ready to go and a 2015 All-Star in Jacob deGrom, naming Matt Harvey the 2016 Opening Day starter was the right choice for Terry Collins.

The Mets manager said that Harvey’s performance at the end of 2015, his first season back from surgery, and questions about Jacob deGrom’s availability played into the decision. DeGrom’s wife Stacey is expecting the couple’s first child April 5 and he will take his paternity leave and be there for the birth of his child.

“That was an issue,” Collins said. “We don’t know what it’s going to be. We hope he’s available. We hope that the baby arrives early, but I can’t play around.

“I’ve got to play it safe and go with a guy I know will be there.” 

METS INSIDER: MATT HARVEY FINALLY HAS NASTY SLIDER BACK

The Mets have not announced the rest of their rotation yet, because they are waiting to see what happens with deGrom’s family.

“The remainder of the week is an issue right now,” Collins said. “So as you know in our (media) market, I would hate to name somebody now and then have something happen and cause an issue. We’ll name those other guys later.”

The 26-year-old will start the Mets off April 3 in a World Series rematch against the Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Collins indicated that with three off days that week, the Mets may “piggyback” their starters in the first two games, meaning use two starters in a game.

DeGrom pitched for the first time since being scratched Monday with a stiff back and had no issues. He threw three strong innings, retiring nine of 10 batters he faced striking out three and giving up one hit. DeGrom said the back was no issue at all Thursday.

He also had no issues with Harvey being the Opening Day starter instead of him.

“I am definitely going to be there when my son is born,” deGrom said. “I think that played a little bit of a role in it… I am happy for Matt and what he’s done in a short period is impressive.

“I am really happy for him.” 

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Collins said the uncertainty of deGrom and Harvey’s performance were the deciding factors.

“The way (Harvey) finished last year, the way he’s throwing the ball right now, he was the Comeback Player of the Year, a lot of things that led up to it,” Collins said. “Jake was certainly in the consideration, along with everybody, probably not (Steven) Matz, but we knew that if there any question even he could have been the guy.

“With a lot of the situation we were facing, we knew Matt would be the guy.”

Harvey went 13-8 with a 2.53 ERA last season. His agent set off a firestorm late in the season about Harvey’s workload in the first season back from surgery, saying if the Mets pitched him more than 180 innings they were putting him in “peril.” Harvey finished the regular season with 189.1 innings and went on to pitch 26.2 more in the playoffs to a 3.04 ERA. He set the record for most innings thrown by a pitcher in his first season back from Tommy John surgery.

Harvey would have been the obvious choice for 2014 Opening Day starter had he not gone down with a torn UCL in August of 2013. He was the National League starting pitcher in the All-Star Game and finished fourth in the Cy Young voting that year.

His feelings were a little hurt when he wasn’t given the nod in 2015 after fighting his way back, pitching coach Dan Warthen said. Harvey said it made the journey a little sweeter now.

“It makes the whole process a little surreal,” Harvey said Thursday morning thinking back on the last two years. “Going from missing a whole year, to having to re-establish myself and get back where I needed to be, having the honor of leading us off. I couldn’t be more proud and happy of the hard work and this organization for giving me that opportunity.

“Like I said, it could have gone to anybody,” Harvey said, “so I am definitely grateful for the opportunity.” 

Tags:
matt harvey ,
new york mets ,
kansas city royals ,
mlb

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