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Matt Harvey is on the DL and it could be bad news
Thursday’s Say Hey, Baseball includes Matt Harvey’s potentially worrisome shoulder issue, a lamb for Lamb, and Yadier Molina’s All-Star Game worthiness.
Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports
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Matt Harvey has had a rough season, but for a time, it looked like things were back in order: from his last start in May through June 23, Harvey produced a 2.25 ERA. His last two starts have only made it a combined 7 1/3 innings, however, and he’s given up six runs in that stretch. The Mets reacted by putting him on the disabled list with discomfort in his shoulder, but there might be more going on here than just that, as they sent him to a specialist for thoracic outlet syndrome, too.
The results for pitchers who undergo surgery to correct thoracic outlet syndrome are mixed. Jaime Garcia underwent a procedure in 2014, and was wonderful (albeit limited in innings) in 2015, and has been just average this year. Whether that has more to do with Garcia in general or the procedure is unclear, and that’s kind of the case for all of the pitchers who have recently undergone surgery for it. The key thing here, though, at least in the present, is that surgery would likely be needed to correct the issue. Considering the Mets are already dealing with bone spurs in the elbows of Steven Matz and Noah Syndergaard, and that Zack Wheeler is trying to return from Tommy John surgery, the Mets aren’t in a great place to lose Harvey for the year should he have TOS.
New York is currently in second place in the NL East, four games behind the Nationals. They have possession of the second wild card spot, and are a half-game behind the Dodgers for the first one. They’ve managed this without Harvey at his best for all but a month of the season, but a healthy and effective Harvey was part of the plan for catching the Nationals and guaranteeing more than just a one-game playoff. As with all of the Mets’ injuries so far, losing Harvey doesn’t doom them. But all these dings are starting to add up.
- TCU congratulated Coastal Carolina on their College World Series win with a full-page ad.
- The Diamondbacks are using a real lamb to promote All-Star voting for Jake Lamb.
- You normally won’t see us mentioning a new pitching coach for a college team, but when that pitching coach is Greg Maddux it’s hard to ignore the news.
- Will the Yankees make any significant moves at the deadline, or are they just fielding some offers?
- Baseball Prospectus released their midseason top-50 prospect list.
- Yadier Molina isn’t an All-Star because he doesn’t deserve to be. Whoa hey Cardinals fans I didn’t say it I’m just pointing to the article yeah that’s it no no Yadi is great go Yadi.
- Speaking of All-Stars, Grant Brisbee categorized the players who were the only representative for their team this year.
- And here are three lessons on roster construction from the All-Star rosters.
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