The Matt Harvey Era is officially over for the Mets

The Dark Knight’s days in Gotham City are numbered. The Mets announced today that they have designated Matt Harvey for assignment, after he refused a Minor League assignment.

The team has seven days to trade Harvey or release him after being removed from the roster.

Speaking to the media, General Manager Sandy Alderson stated this was a long time coming, stemming from the recent troubles Matt Harvey has produced for the club. He was emotional, as Harvey was the first key component for what should have been a bright future for the Mets. Manager Mickey Callaway thought not all was done to help Matt, but it may have been too late for him.

“We feel like we failed Matt Harvey. Our job is to help every player in here. It’s not a good feeling when you can’t.”

Matt Harvey’s rise and fall in a New York uniform is something to behold. Selected as the seventh overall pick in the 2010 MLB Draft, Harvey made an immediate impact with the team. Debuting with the Mets in 2012, Harvey really came into his own in 2013. He was the flamethrower you came out to see, making “Harvey Day” a celebrated affair. He started the 2013 All-Star Game at Citi Field, striking out a who’s who of hitters, making a name for himself.

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Everything seemed perfect, until he needed Tommy John Surgery in late 2013. From there, he was never the same pitcher. While posting a 13-8 record in 2015, contract issues, not to mention an innings pitched dilemma, surrounded the man around playoff time. Not attending practices and continuing to be on the back pages of Page Six did not help his cause also. One shining moment in game five of the World Series came crashing down, whether that was his or Terry Collins’ fault or not. Things went from bad to worse, as Harvey had surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome in 2016.

Between 2016 and 2017, Harvey had a 9-17 record. Last season, he had a 6.70 ERA. This season, Harvey has gone 0-2 with a 7.00 ERA, and that was through four starts and four relief appearances. The latter is the most important aspect of this entire thing. The move to the bullpen was the final nail in the coffin for the former phenom. He appeared to not have fully worked things out, making the DFA easier.

Callaway had a point in the positives for a Harvey demotion. He thought back to Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee, players who did struggle and were sent down, before returning and dominating the game. They all thought it was an appropriate route, but Harvey did not believe so. Now, he may have an opportunity to start anew for a team that could use his services, whether contending or not.

Matt Harvey was a lighting rod of excitement on the mound. It truly is an end of an era for the 29-year old. The biggest “What If” in Matt Harvey will have to prove himself somewhere else. Somehow, someway, this could have been avoided. Now that the damage is done, reflecting on Matt Harvey’s time with the team can be summarized by one simple word: entertaining.

In this young 2018 season, we knew anything can happen. The journey Matt Harvey has taken this season and over the years will be one to remember. The only question that remains is simple: What is next for The Dark Knight?