PORT ST. LUCIE — Matt Harvey will receive his wish and get to rehab under the bright lights of the big city.
An industry source confirmed the Mets ace has reached an agreement with team officials that would allow him to work out in New York during his rehab from Tommy John surgery instead of remaining at the club’s spring-training facility in Florida.
The two sides had haggled over the locale, but ultimately Harvey exercised his right to choose, as spelled out in the collective bargaining agreement. Still unclear is whether Harvey will spend the first 20 days of his rehab in Florida, as the Mets have the right to stipulate. But the source said Harvey may break camp with the Mets and remain with them until he begins facing minor-league competition in rehab starts this summer.
“When we are ready to announce the final plan for Matt we will announce it,” general manager Sandy Alderson said. “We have no comment.”
According to a source, Alderson and Harvey had an amicable discussion on Monday to work out details of the arrangement. Harvey had become angered in recent weeks by the treatment he received from the club, which included an effort to prevent the right-hander from speaking to reporters.
When spring training opened, Harvey’s locker was in a remote corridor of the clubhouse, removed from teammates’ line of view and out of sight to the media. The Mets eventually moved his locker to a more central position in the clubhouse.
Harvey spoke to reporters last week and was asked about his reasons for wanting to stay in New York during his rehab.
“I’ve made it pretty clear I would like to stay with the team and learn from them, and learn from the other pitchers and have an opportunity to learn the league better,” Harvey said.
Harvey, who has begun throwing from 75 feet, has expressed his desire to pitch this season for the Mets, even as team officials have downplayed the possibility. Typical rehab from the surgery takes 12 months. Harvey underwent his surgery in October.
“I still have in my mind that I want to come back this year, and whether the doctors clear that or the people upstairs have other ideas, my mind-set as a competitor is to get back on the field,” Harvey said. “Everybody’s always going to be so cautious about the recovery, but as a competitor we’re always going to want to get back on the field. If the doctors at that point say it’s fine, my mind is always going to be on the baseball field.”
With Harvey expected to miss the year, the Mets signed Bartolo Colon to a two-year contract worth $20 million over the winter. The Mets will begin the year with a rotation that includes Colon, Dillon Gee, Zack Wheeler and likely Jon Niese and Daisuke Matsuzaka.
Manager Terry Collins said he has no knowledge of where Harvey will rehab, but if it’s with the major league club, he has no qualms.
“He’s a good teammate, a quality guy,” Collins said. “Until he really starts to get on the mound, I’m not sure it matters. But we’ve had some protocols here in the past and we’ll worry about that. … I have no idea what the discussion has been so that’s not for me to answer right now.”