Report: Cy Young Race Won't Halt Harvey Shutdown
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The New York Mets plan to shut ace Matt Harvey down at some point this season.
Even if he's in the Cy Young race?
Even if he's in the Cy Young race, according to the New York Daily News.
The Mets want to ensure the 24-year-old's arm is rested and protected for the future — and the team and "will not waver" from that strategy, the paper reported.
"Put simply, no way," wrote Daily News reporter Andy Martino. "We've asked, just to be sure."
Mets manager Terry Collins has discussed shutting Harvey down, though he hasn't disclosed specifics.
"You know, there's a time when we're going to have to start thinking about shutting Matt Harvey down," Collins said July 31 on WFAN radio. "I'm trying to get him as deep into the season as I possibly can. I don't want to have to look up early in September and not have this guy pitching."
Even with an eye on Harvey's innings, Collins allowed the right-hander to complete his first complete-game shutout -- a four-hit gem -- Wednesday night against the Colorado Rockies.
"You don't have many opportunities to pitch shutouts," Collins said. "He needs to know how to do it."
Harvey (9-3) has a 2.09 ERA, second only in the National League to the Los Angeles Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw (1.91). He leads the league with 178 strikeouts, though a low win total -- and a shutdown -- could keep Harvey from nabbing the Cy Young.
Former Mets starter R.A. Dickey won the award when he went 20-6 in 2012. The Mets allowed the knuckleballer, with his easy delivery, to throw 233.2 innings last season.
Harvey, currently at 159.2 innings, won't get the opportunity to come anywhere near Dickey's mark. The Mets told Harvey they would shut him down "even if one or two strong starts at the end could clinch" the Cy Young award, the Daily News reported.
"He deserved to go back out there," Collins said after Wednesday's 5-0 win. "I'll worry about making up those innings later."
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