Mets’ Matt Harvey looks good in side session, will pitch Tuesday
Matt Harvey #33 of the New York Mets looks on from the dugout during the third inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Citi Field on Friday, May 20, 2016 in the Queens Borough of New York City. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Coming off a career-worst shelling by the Nationals in his last start on Thursday night, Matt Harvey threw a side session Saturday for pitching coach Dan Warthen and Terry Collins. The manager liked what he saw and said Harvey will make his next start Tuesday in Washington against the NL East leaders.
“He looked very good,” Collins said. “We didn’t have any radar gun out, but even without the adrenaline, just working on some stuff, his velocity was better. The arm angle Dan is trying to get was better, the movement was better. He feels good about what happened today, so we’ll give him [Sunday] and Monday off and run him out there Tuesday.”
Approached by reporters in the clubhouse before Saturday’s 5-4 win over Milwaukee, Harvey declined to speak.
Bullpen is key again
The Mets’ bullpen again was a key ingredient in their comeback win over the Brewers. Starter Jacob deGrom gave up four runs in his five-inning stint, but relievers Hansel Robles, Addison Reed and Jeurys Familia (1-0) combined to pitch four scoreless innings in which they allowed two hits and struck out five.
The Mets’ bullpen has combined for 12 1⁄3 scoreless innings in the past three games and lowered its ERA to an MLB-best 2.36.
Collins was especially happy with Reed’s performance in the eighth inning after he gave up a two-out single to Aaron Hill and walked Alex Presley. That brought up Ramon Flores, who already had three RBIs and worked the count full before striking out on the ninth pitch of the at-bat.
“He threw a tremendous 3-2 pitch to Flores with the changeup,” Collins said. “You see Ryan Braun standing in the on-deck circle [as a pinch hitter after getting the day off], you know you’ve got to make a pitch, and he made it.”
Extra bases
Home runs by Yoenis Cespedes and Curtis Granderson gave the Mets their NL-best 17th multiple home run game. Granderson hit his fourth leadoff homer of the season and 39th of his career . . . Reserve infielder Wilmer Flores (strained left hamstring), who is eligible to come off the disabled list on Friday, is expected to begin rehab Tuesday.
Greg Logan has worked for Newsday since 1982 covering a wide array of sports and events, currently including the Brooklyn Nets beat.
