It’s official… Logan Verrett will start for the Mets on Sunday against the Rockies in the series finale, Terry Collins just confirmed with reporters.
Matt Harvey will indeed be skipped for a start in the rotation.
“We just were afraid we’d have to shut him down,” Collins said.
August 19
Terry Collins told reporters this afternoon, that the team is considering the possibility of skipping Sunday’s scheduled start for Matt Harvey.
It’s not official as of yet, but my guess is that they will wait to see how the Mets do during the next three games and where they are in the standings before making a final decision.
In other words, if the Mets are still 4.5 games up or better, then you can bet Logan Verrett will get the start on Sunday.
However, if that lead shrinks to three or two games, you can be sure that Matt Harvey will be on the mound and not Verrett.
I very much doubt, that Steven Matz will be ready by Sunday to make a start, although that’s what Terry Collins seemed to intimate as well.
But my guess is that if you asked Sandy Alderson, he will say that Matz will probably make two more rehab starts before he is activated. He pitches next on Thursday.
Bartolo Colon and Jon Niese are scheduled to start the first two games against the Rockies on Friday and Saturday.
August 19
Last week, manager Terry Collins raised the possibility that the Mets could begin skipping starts for their three young starters who are quickly gaining on their pre-planned innings limits.
While the team was not looking forward to that prospect, concern has been rising and the timing of it all presents a significant conundrum as the Mets fight for the postseason.
Collins admitted he’s trying not to think about it, but that the current five-man rotation is taking a toll on Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard.
“With them on this five-day plan, they’re going to get to those limits, and if they’re tired, they’re not going to pitch anymore,” Collins said.
Collins refused to tell reporters what each pitcher’s individual max-limit is, he hinted it would be a fluid situation.
“When that point comes, then we can make decisions. But I’m not going to sit here and look into a crystal ball and be able to tell you, ‘This guy is not going to be able to pitch in the playoffs,’ ” Collins said.
However it now appears the Mets have initiated a plan that will keep Syndergaard, Harvey and deGrom from being shut down due to innings limits before the end of the season.
Team sources have told Adam Rubin of ESPN New York that Steven Matz will become the team’s sixth starting pitcher when he returns from the disabled list and that Logan Verrett will be tapped to make the occasional spot start.
Matz has already begun his rehab assignment and is expected to make two more starts before being activated on or around September 1.
Verrett will be promoted before Tuesday night’s game and he will pitch out of the bullpen until they need him to make a spot start.
This sounds like an excellent plan, and the addition of Matz and Verrett will certainly help keep our young arms fresh and continuing to pitch throughout the regular season and hopefully into the postseason, barring any setbacks of course. Well done, Mets.
