The Mets want Matt Harvey to slow down and he will not be allowed to throw off a mound Tuesday as originally planned, two team sources told Kristie Ackert of the Daily News.
After consultations between the Mets team doctor and renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews, the Mets are reluctant to have Harvey come back too soon and are concerned about the recent rash of pitchers who have required a second Tommy John surgery.
“He will just go a little slower,” pitching coach Dan Warthen said.
Harvey has recently said his goal is to be pitching as soon as August and getting five to seven major-league starts in 2014.
“I want to pitch before the year ends. I want to make five, six, seven starts this year. I asked the training staff, ‘If I want to come back in August, when do I need to start throwing off a mound?’ They said June 10. So that’s what we have penciled in right now. That’s the plan.”
No word yet on Harvey’s reaction to Thursday’s news.
“If something happens to him, that would just be a huge blow,” one of the sources said. “We just want him to take it a little slower. Nobody wants him to be less competitive, we just want to be cautious.”
Harvey is currently at the Mets’ spring-training complex in Port St. Lucie where he is continuing his rehab.
