The Mets and Orioles are reportedly in discussion on acquiring Harvey in exchange for a reliever, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
Rosenthal notes that Brad Brach ($5.2 million) and Harvey ($5.9 million) have similar arbitration projections per MLB Trade Rumors and are both entering their free agent years. He also adds that Darren O’Day is owed $9 million each of next two seasons.
Update – Monday, Dec. 11 – 12:03 p.m.
Building off what was reported Sunday, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag reports that Matt Harvey could be of interest to the Baltimore Orioles.
Additionally, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News suggests Harvey could be a piece for the Texas Rangers to consider and suggests Jurickson Profar as a piece the Mets could be interested in.
Original report – Sunday, Dec. 10
The Mets are willing to trade Matt Harvey for a relief pitcher according to Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News.
Ackert’s sources mentioned that the Mets have spoken to two teams about moving Harvey in exchange for a reliever.
It was reported that the Mets are willing to trade any of their starting pitchers aside from Noah Syndergaard and Jacob deGrom. However, it does appear the Mets have a preference as one of the sources say that the team appears to prefer dealing Harvey instead of Seth Lugo or Robert Gsellman.
Alderson alluded to the idea of trading one of the guys on the big league squad as he mentioned that the Mets do not have as much talent left in the upper levels of their farm system.
“Right now our situation (is) as such that our best players are our young players in the system. They are a long way away, might make them more attractive to trade, not going to benefit us very soon. On the other hand several of them have very high upsides,” Alderson said according to Ackert. “So, we’re just going to see how it plays out. We’ve made trades in the past that haven’t involved our top prospects.”
After coming back from Tommy John surgery in 2015 and dominating again, Harvey has struggled with injuries and poor play the last two years.
In 2016 he went 4-10 with 4.86 ERA, 1.468 WHIP, and 76 strikeouts in 92 2/3 innings. His season ended in July as he had thoracic outlet syndrome.
In 2017, in the same number of innings, he went 5-7 with a 6.70 ERA, 1.694 WHIP, and 67 strikeouts. His missed time from the middle of June to the end of August due to a stress injury to the scapula bone in his throwing shoulder.
Obviously trading Harvey would result in less now more than ever. However, relievers are coming off the board fast. Luke Gregerson and Brandon Morrow both agreed to deals today. Potential relief candidates Miles Mikolas and Mike Minor recently signed with the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers, respectively. In short, Alderson is running out of options.
There are still relief options on the table, but Alderson does not plan to jump into the inferno.
