Watch CBS News

Mets GM: Matt Harvey Has Final Say On Tommy John Surgery

NEW YORK (WFAN) -- Mets general manager Sandy Alderson says ace Matt Harvey will have the final say on whether he has Tommy John surgery to repair a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow.

"I think he's got most of the control," Alderson told WFAN radio's Mike Francesa on Tuesday. "I mean, it's his body. He ultimately decides what's in his best interest. All we can do is advise and recommend."

Alderson said the decision will be made "over the next couple of weeks, certainly by the end of September."

Sandy Alderson

Harvey recently spoke with Philadelphia Phillies starter Roy Halladay, who had a similar injury and managed to avoid Tommy John surgery.

"There's always going to be anecdotal evidence of one sort or another: someone who got by without surgery versus other people who tried to get by without surgery and ended up having it and losing additional time as a result," Alderson said. "Ultimately I think it's going to be less about anecdotes and more about medical expertise."

The 24-year-old Harvey, who started July's All-Star Game for the National League, went 9-5 with a 2.27 ERA and 191 strikeouts this season.

Alderson said Harvey's injury -- and whether he'll miss the 2014 season -- could have an impact on the team's offseason plans.

"We've got some money to spend," Alderson said. "I wasn't planning on spending it on starting pitching because of the depth that we have, but given the fact that we may have lost our No. 1 guy means we're going to have to look for an additional veteran presence in the rotation. We have to accept it, absorb it and try to move on to be better."

You May Also Be Interested In These Stories

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.