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Mets’ Matt Harvey returns to mound for 1st time and blows away hitters

By Kyle Franzoni

Mar 6, 2015; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Matt Harvey (33) throws against against the Detroit Tigers during a spring training baseball game at Tradition Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Barr-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 6, 2015; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Matt Harvey (33) throws against against the Detroit Tigers during a spring training baseball game at Tradition Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Barr-USA TODAY Sports /
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A year removed from Tommy John surgery, New York Mets ace Matt Harvey makes his long-awaited return to the mound.

To say that the New York Mets are depending on a healthy and dominant Matt Harvey to return and lead their young rotation is an understatement. Of course health is the key to Harvey’s contributions in 2015, but if Friday’s return to the mound was any indication, there should be no worries for the Mets moving forward.

Harvey finished 4th in the Cy Young voting in 2013 while posting a 9-5 record, a 2.27 ERA, a 2.01 FIP, and a 9.6 K/9 ratio. However, the right-hander missed the entire 2014, the result of the tearing his ulnar collateral ligament in August and undergoing Tommy John surgery that October. With the typical recovery time from Tommy John being a year at minimum, Harvey was forced to rehab all of last season and has essentially been shelved for a year and a half.

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That is why Friday’s Spring Training outing against the Detroit Tigers was so important. The results however were better than expected.

Overall, Matt Harvey worked just two innings and threw only 25 pitches against a line-up that featured some starters, but mostly an assortment of travel players. However, those two innings were dominant, as Harvey rang up three strike-outs and didn’t allow a single base-runner during the outing. According to MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo Harvey reached as high as 99 MPH on his fastball and was consistently working in the upper 90’s.

To get an idea of just how much gas he was dealing, check out this GIF posted by MLB.com’s Cut 4.

Also of note, of the three batters that were able to reach Harvey for contact, two of them resulted in shattered bats, as noted by ESPN’s Adam Rubin.

Sure, it is just Spring Training, but for someone who has been on the shelf for over a year, there is plenty to build off of from there. Matt Harvey will continue to build himself back up and prepare to make the Mets Opening Day start on April 6th against the Washington Nationals in the nation’s capital. The 25-year-old will look to put that lost year behind him and pick-up that lifetime 12-10 record, 2.39 ERA, 2.33 FIP, and 9.88 K/9 right where he left off, as an ace.

Next: Hunter Pence accepts apology from pitcher who broke his arm.

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