NEW YORK _ The decision to ultimately dump Matt Harvey went way beyond baseball for the Mets. This wasn't strictly business. There was a personal aspect, too, given the history between team and pitcher. How could it be taken any other way?
Other than Noah Syndergaard and Jacob deGrom, the Mets' rotation has been terrible, with at least two vulnerable spots belonging to Zack Wheeler and Steven Matz. Jason Vargas gets a pass, for now, despite a 16.20 ERA after two starts because he was just signed to a two-year, $16-million deal and is coming off surgery to repair his right (non-pitching) hand.
Problem is, the Mets were too hasty in demoting Harvey in the first place, and that again points to the personal animus between the two sides. Wheeler or Matz could have been optioned without their permission, allowing Harvey to be kept around to work through his problems while staying a starter. By the time the Mets asked Harvey on Friday to go to their minor-league complex, they already knew what the answer would be. Sandy Alderson, for what it's worth, suggested that Harvey could regain some of his missing talents.
"I think that's possible," Alderson said. "I think we felt that. Our only real option to create a change of scenery was to get him somewhere in our minor-league system. I think there are a lot of issues that come with him and his experience in New York that perhaps a change of scenery will help. But I certainly hope so. We felt that it was worth trying ourselves."
Only to a certain extent, of course. But if Harvey truly has something left _ he's only 29 _ what's next for him? Or more appropriately, where is next? The Mets officially designated Harvey for assignment Saturday, so they could either trade him in a week or he would become a free agent May 12.
A trade appears unlikely. Harvey is owed roughly $4.46 million for the remainder of this season, and the way teams have been tight-fisted with cash lately, he won't be considered a wise investment, not with a 6.00 ERA and .849 OPS in four starts. A smarter plan would be to scoop him up as a free agent, with the new team responsible for the $545,000 minimum and the Mets remaining on the hook for that prorated part of his $5.63-million salary for 2018. Harvey is attractive at that bargain rate.
"I can't really speculate on how complicated it would be to make a trade," Alderson said. "My guess is that there are people out there who are willing to take a shot on Matt Harvey. We'll see."
So who are those people? During the DFA period, teams don't tend to tip their hand as they wait out the process. But Alderson's correct in saying someone would take the risk on him as a reclamation project, even after the Mets jumped ship. Here's a look at a few potential suitors for the pitcher formerly known as the Dark Knight.
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