Matt Harvey might finally be ready to take the next big step in his rehab.
The Mets ace told The Post on Wednesday he could begin throwing from a mound in Port St. Lucie next week, after having spent the last month-and-a-half in neutral while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery.
Harvey also hasn’t abandoned his pursuit of pitching in 2014, even after general manager Sandy Alderson all but eliminated that possibility last month.
“Even if it was one inning out of the bullpen, I would be happy,” Harvey said.
The right-hander said there are tentative plans for him to pitch in the Mets’ instructional league in September and then make a cameo in the Arizona Fall League.
“If I’m going to pitch in Arizona, what difference does it make if I pitch there or pitch here [for the Mets]?” Harvey said.
But Alderson is likely to play it cautious with Harvey, who underwent the ligament replacement surgery on Oct. 22 of last year. Normal recovery is 10-14 months before a pitcher returns to the major leagues.
“I’m dying,” Harvey said. “When I start ramping things up and feeling I can throw full throttle and pump it up to mid-90s [mph], which I believe I am doing right now, it’s definitely going to be hard.”
Harvey’s agent, Scott Boras, recently said research on the subject points to waiting until 14-16 months after the surgery for optimal recovery.
The Mets backed off Harvey from his rehab in early June, worried that he was moving too quickly in the process. Alderson later left the open a crack, saying the earliest Harvey could return is Sept. 22 — the 11-month anniversary of his surgery. The Mets conclude the season on Sept. 28.
Harvey makes no apology for his push to return this season.
“I miss being out there,” he said. “That’s the fun part. It’s tough to talk about.”