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Mets unsure what to do with Matt Harvey after another rough start

Chris Cwik
·Staff writer

The New York Mets and pitcher Matt Harvey may be at odds again soon. After another poor outing Tuesday against the Washington Nationals, there's a chance Harvey won't make his next start.

On top of Collins saying he would have to meet with general manager Sandy Alderson to discuss the next steps, he made it seem as though it was doubtful Harvey would start the next time his spot came up in the rotation.

Harvey's struggles this season have essentially forced the team's hand. Through 53 1/3 innings, the 27-year-old ace has a 6.08 ERA. Harvey's strikeout rate has dropped, his walk rate is risen and he's lost nearly two miles-per-hour off his fastball, according to BrooksBaseball.net.

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As far as the organization is concerned, Tuesday's start may have been the straw that broke the camel's back. Harvey went five innings against the Nationals, giving up five runs on eight hits. He gave up three home runs, walked two and only managed one strikeout. The Mets lost the contest 7-4.

The Mets had even considered skipping Harvey for Tuesday's start. According to ESPN's Adam Rubin, the club gave Harvey the option of being skipped in order to figure things out. He declined.

At that point, Harvey was coming off the shortest start of his career. He lasted just 2 2/3 innings, giving up eight runs. He was booed by Mets fans as he walked off the mound. After that contest, Collins first mentioned the idea of skipping Harvey's start.

Complicating matters is the fact that all sides insist Harvey is healthy. In Rubin's article, Harvey says he feels "normal," and the Mets haven't placed him on the disabled list with any ailment. Given Harvey's competitive nature, it's unclear if he would agree to go on the DL if he actually doesn't have an injury. If the club can't make him take time off, a skipped start is at least a temporary solution.

It's unlikely to make Harvey happy, though. If the team does push Harvey out of the rotation, even temporarily, it could lead to some bad blood between both sides.

It would also not be the first time the two sides were embroiled in some type of controversy. Harvey made waves last season after his agent, Scott Boras, recommended the club shut him down after he had reached his innings limit. Harvey was coming off Tommy John surgery, and Boras and his team had recommended he throw 180 innings and then shut things down.

[Related: Matt Harvey won't quit, takes the ball against Nationals]

Given that the Mets were in the middle of the pennant race, this wasn't going to work. While Harvey initially said he wasn't sure whether he would be available for the playoffs, he immediately took it back, releasing an article on The Players' Tribune aptly titled, "I will pitch in the playoffs."

All told, Harvey threw 189 1/3 innings in the regular season, and added an extra 26 2/3 innings in the playoffs. He finished with a total of 216 innings, more than 30 innings over Boras' suggested limit.

It's clear that all side are frustrated at the moment. Following Tuesday's start, neither Harvey nor pitching coach Dan Warthen were made available to the media.

Getting Harvey right will be key to the club's success moving forward. Despite his struggles, the Mets are currently 26-19, and sit just 1.5 games out of first place in the National League East.

At this point, though, it's going to require something far more serious than burning all his belongings. Harvey might be healthy, but something is off. If the Mets think he needs some time off in order to figure out what that is, that might be the best thing for both sides, even if Harvey disagrees with the move.

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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik