The plan for Matt Harvey is that the starting pitcher will stay under 200 innings for the rest of the regular season and potential postseason, according to USA Today.
The New York Mets ace has pitched 166 1/3 innings so far. Harvey is 33 2/3 innings away from the limit with still a little less than a month left in the season with the Mets maintaining a five-game lead in the NL East.
Goal now is to keep #Mets Harvey under 200 IP, including postseason, which could put him on pitch count in playoffs. http://t.co/XmRPo9O2rJ
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) September 8, 2015
Harvey doesn’t want to go through what Stephen Strasburg went through in 2012, when the Washington Nationals shutdown the former first overall pick because of an innings limit. He did not pitch during the postseason, and the Nationals were eventually eliminated in the first round.
Doctors originally recommended a 180-inning cap. The Mets are willing to give the former All-Star 20 more innings.
Steven Matz is back in the Mets rotation, which gives the team six starters throughout the rest of the season. Meanwhile, Logan Verrett has been called back up to be a spot-starter for Harvey and other starting pitchers they want to rest.