New York Mets will skip Matt Harvey's start Sunday vs. Rockies
The Mets have decided to skip pitcher Matt Harvey’s next start, which was scheduled to come Sunday against the Rockies, according to ESPN.com.
On Thursday, Mets manager Terry Collins said the team was considering such a move and that he and pitching coach Dan Warthen had discussed it, with a final decision coming Friday, according to MLB.com. Rookie Logan Verrett, who was recalled from Triple A on Tuesday, will make his first major league start in place of Harvey.
The Mets set an innings limit of 190 for the Harvey in his first season back from Tommy John surgery. Harvey is up to 154 innings through 23 starts, and his ERA is 2.57, sixth-lowest in the National League. He has averaged almost seven innings per start, efficiency that hasn't helped slow his road to his innings cap.
In an effort to ensure Harvey will be available for the postseason, Collins has said he would rather spread out his innings over the season's final month rather than shut him down completely after he reaches 190. Rookie starter Noah Syndergaard is also expected to have a start skipped soon.
Baseball Prospectus gives the Mets an 80.2% chance of reaching the postseason, despite their loss to the Orioles on Wednesday. The Mets remained four games ahead of the Nationals for first place in the NL East entering Friday.
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