The New York Mets have something new this offseason that they think and hope will be a key in helping a talented starting rotation stay healthy and productive at the same time.
The all-new combo of manager Mickey Callaway and pitching coach Dave Eiland structured an offseason throwing program that was sent out to all pitchers on the 40-man roster.
Eiland hopes that the pitching regiment, something missing from past offseasons, will ensure that each pitcher in better pitching shape. “They are all working hard,” Eiland told the New York Post on Thursday. “They like the program, like the structure of it, they have something to work from. You can’t be with them during the winter, so the best you can do is send them a program and stay in contact with them and check in.”
Noah Syndergaard, Matt Harvey, Steven Matz, Seth Lugo, Robert Gsellman and Zack Wheeler all spent time on the disabled list in the 2017 season. Production was another issue with the Mets pitching staff including a franchise worst 5.14 ERA from the starting rotation.
Part of the new plan has each pitcher throwing from a mound three or four times between now and Feb. 12 when pitchers and catchers report for the Mets.
Eiland is also optimistic that Harvey can see a bounce back after a disaterous 2017 season that saw him post a 6.70 ERA, get suspended for a game and missed time with a stress injury to the scapula bone in his throwing shoulder.
Harvey was entering his first season coming off from surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome in June of 2016. “The arm strength was there, the stamina wasn’t where he could maintain it,” Eiland said. “But a full offseason where he could train as he normally would without any restrictions, I look for him to be fine. But this thoracic outlet syndrome is a new thing and there isn’t a lot of history or data there. But I was encouraged by what I saw, the way he threw the ball in September.”
