Chatting with ESPN NY’s Michael Kay today — as you’re apt to do anytime you’d like to send a strongly worded message to Mets management and ownership — agent Scott Boras warned that RHP Matt Harvey is a start or two away from Shutdown City, Amazin’ pennant hopes be damned. “Matt Harvey would love to pitch,” gushed Boras. “But the surgeon who saved his career and other surgeons consulted have said that for maximum safety, he is not to exceed 180 innings for the year.” In case you’re wondering, Harvey’s currently sitting on 166 1/3 innings pitched after Thursday’s shaky effort against the Phillies.
If you find it somewhat curious that Boras would make such a statement on New York radio in early September, not to mention putting his client in a rather uncomfortable position on a day the media would otherwise be stalking Jacob deGrom, you’re not alone, but keep in mind, Boras claims he sounded the alarm far earlier The following quotes from the Kay interview come courtesy of the New York Post and Joel Sherman :
Boras said he contacted Alderson in mid-August by text to have Andrews get together with team doctors about Harvey’s innings. He said Alderson had not responded to him since.
Boras said Andrews did not provide a hard and fast number of innings earlier in the season because he wanted Harvey to think of small hurdles such as reaching 50 innings and not having his eye on a firm cap.
“I have no dispute with the Mets,” Boras said. “I am telling them what the medical people say. Sandy is acting surprised now. But, Sandy, I am doing the work for the client, not the Mets. By the way, I am not telling anyone anything. This is what the doctors are saying. I am simply delivering a message.”