Matt Harvey has his second opinion, now the wait is on for him to make the most important decision of his young career.
Harvey met with Dr. James Andrews in Pensacola, Fla., Monday morning for his official second opinion on his partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. The Mets’ righthander said last week it was unlikely he would make an immediate decision about whether to have Tommy John surgery after the appointment, but the team, which announced it would have more information
Tuesday on the second opinion, feels he is close to making a decision about rehab or surgery.
While the organization has not conceded that Harvey will have to have the surgery now, some have become more resigned to that outcome. Harvey had the elbow re-examined after the initial diagnosis, a team source told the Daily News, and gave the Mets no reason for any surprises heading into Monday’s meeting with Andrews.
The front office is hopeful Harvey will make a decision before the end of the month, allowing it to formulate a solid offseason plan.
If he elects to have the surgery, Harvey would miss most — if not all — of the 2014 season, meaning the Mets would likely need to bring in a veteran starter to bolster the rotation.
They certainly would be less likely to include one of their highly rated young pitching prospects in a trade to bring in the bats they will desperately need if Harvey is out for the season.
But Harvey, who lit up New York and gave the Mets hope for the future with an electric start to the season, has been open about favoring rehab without surgery.
The nonsurgical route would mean a course of strengthening the muscles around the ligament to try to stabilize it. That would put him in the plans for 2014 Opening Day, but the chance of tearing the ligament further would always loom over him and the organization.
The possibility of Harvey further damaging the ligament during that rehab and then having to start all over again with surgery and a 12-month rehab is what has many in the Mets organization pushing for the surgery now. While Harvey would miss most of 2014 after surgery now, he would likely be ready for Opening Day 2015.
Harvey has been very reluctant when discussing surgery.
Speaking at a 9/11 memorial event at a midtown firehouse last week, Harvey said he had not tested the elbow, but that his arm felt “great.” He was clearly concerned about having surgery on an elbow that was not bothering him.
“I do also have to weigh in the factors of the risk of having surgery,” Harvey said. “In my mind if I can rehab and throw for 10-plus years like Roy Halladay has … everybody is different, you never know.”
It is not such a radical idea. Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright pitched for years with a partial tear in his UCL, and Halladay had a similar issue that he has pitched with for eight years now.
The starter for the National League at the All-Star Game in July, Harvey went 9-5 with a 2.27 ERA this season. While he and the Mets were not clear on how long he had experienced discomfort in his forearm, Harvey struggled in his last three starts. After pitching his first career shutout Aug. 7 against the Rockies, Harvey went 0-3 with a 3.86 ERA in his following three starts. While his mechanics were being monitored closely because he was pushing through a career-high innings pitched, Harvey was pounded for 13 hits, the most he ever gave up, in a loss to the Tigers Aug. 24. He complained of forearm discomfort after that game and sent for an MRI, where the tear was found.
