Matt Harvey can ditch his glove for a New England Patriots foam finger and start contemplating his offseason.
But given a choice, the Mets rookie still would have opportunities awaiting him over the final 14 games of the regular season.
”I’m going to miss it,” Harvey said after pitching a one-hitter over seven innings in the Mets’ 3-2 loss to the Phillies at Citi Field. “The last two weeks are going to be tough, not being able to be a part of it.”
Ryan Howard spoiled Harvey’s shot at a final victory by smashing a two-run homer against Josh Edgin with two outs in the ninth inning, sending the Mets to their 10th loss in 11 games. The Mets (66-82) are guaranteed a fourth straight losing season.
The team is taking no chances with Harvey, shutting him down after 169 1/3 innings between Triple-A and the majors this year. Harvey will stay with the team for the remainder of the season — manager Terry Collins said the pitcher could be considered for pinch-hitting duty — before returning to his Mystic, Conn., roots, for at least part of the offseason.
”I will be at quite a few Patriots games,” said Harvey, who grew up rooting for the team.
The Mets are willing to excuse that fact given Harvey’s job performance: He posted a 2.73 ERA in 10 starts, but finished just 3-5 because of dreadful run support.
Last night, he allowed a homer to Jimmy Rollins leading off the game and followed with seven hitless innings in which he struck out seven and walked three. In 59 1/3 innings with the Mets, he allowed just 42 hits with 70 strikeouts and 26 walks.
Though the Mets certainly weren’t happy to lose Dillon Gee at the All-Star break, after the righty developed a blood clot in his shoulder, the silver lining was receiving an extended look at Harvey, who made his major league debut on July 26.
”He’s accomplished much more, certainly, than we had hoped,” Collins said. “We were just hoping he was going to get through the Triple-A season and have success and certainly be in the picture next year.”
Harvey said it’s nice knowing he’s in the Mets’ plans for next season, but it’s not an accomplishment he will celebrate.
”Nothing is ever guaranteed until you have a huge contract, so I am going to prepare just as normal for the offseason as I would any other offseason,” said Harvey, who will spend much of the winter in Atlanta. “There’s a lot of things I have to work on. I have to go out and be able to last longer in games, fewer pitches. Something I am going to work on this offseason is pounding the zone.”
Including last night, Harvey had lasted seven innings just twice. Collins offered Nationals righty Stephen Strasburg as an example of a power pitcher who has learned to work deeper into games without sacrificing results.
That could entail asking Harvey to pick his spots with his 97-mph heat.
”Ninety-four and 95 is what [Strasburg] is getting it done with and I think Matt can be the same thing,” Collins said. “Let’s try to get some easy outs.”
Harvey said the continued refinement of his secondary pitches will be the key.
”It’s a constant battle,” he said. “I want to work a little extra harder this offseason so coming into spring training I can revert back to the success I had this year and keep going with it.”
* Edgin was given the closing duties last night because Frank Francisco (elbow tendinitis) was unavailable.