ATLANTA — Matt Harvey may still believe he is starting-rotation material, but his manager holds the only vote that counts, with input from the Mets’ staff and front office.
And for now Mickey Callaway is still trying to find an answer.
On Friday, a day after Harvey was smacked for six runs in a loss to the Braves, the manager indicated it may take through the weekend before Harvey’s status is resolved. With Jason Vargas potentially returning from the disabled list next week, the Mets would have six starters for five spots, and the beleaguered Harvey has been the most ineffective of the bunch, pitching to a 6.00 ERA in four starts.
“I think we’re looking at everything,” Callaway said before the Mets faced the Braves. “Stuff, effectiveness, we are looking at who can handle a bullpen role the best. We are looking at does it make sense for somebody to go to Triple-A and just [continue] pitching to add depth? There’s tons of things we are considering.”
Harvey’s next turn in the rotation would come Wednesday in St. Louis, but with an off-day earlier in the week, Callaway could skip that spot if he chose and then insert Vargas next weekend in San Diego. The lefty Vargas is tentatively scheduled to pitch Monday for Triple-A Las Vegas, after spending the past month rehabbing from surgery to remove the hamate bone in his non-pitching hand. Vargas will be examined by a doctor Saturday to ensure he is physically ready for the rehab start.
Harvey was defiant Thursday night, saying, when he was asked about a possible shift to the bullpen, that he’s a staring pitcher. But team officials are clearly considering a relief role for Harvey, who cannot be demoted to the minor leagues without his permission.
And it would be premature for the Mets to release or trade Harvey, who in December was tendered a contract for $5.625 million for this season.
“I think [Harvey] made that pretty clear [Thursday] that he wants to be a starter and I don’t blame him,” Callaway said. “I think everybody wants to start. What we are trying to do as a team is do what’s best for the team and for the players.”
Callaway noted that he and pitching coach Dave Eiland have experience putting struggling starting pitchers into the bullpen only to have them emerge as successful starters again.
In Cleveland, as pitching coach, Callaway had that success with Trevor Bauer, Danny Salazar and Carlos Carrasco. In Kansas City, Eiland had success with Danny Duffy moving to the bullpen and back into the rotation.
“We have experience with that and we can help guys,” Callaway said. “Guys have to be willing to be helped.”
Harvey pointed to the three scoreless innings he pitched Thursday after placing the Mets in a 6-0 hole as a sign he had maybe figured out a flaw in his approach. Almost two years removed from surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome, the right-hander is still working to regain the command of his pitches. He has insisted he is fine physically.
“I think he did a great job of grinding through that start,” Callaway said. “A lot of guys just would have bailed after three innings and would have thought it wasn’t their day. He got the job done for three more innings.
“I didn’t see any difference in the stuff, I saw him maybe attack a little bit more. The game was in a little bit different situation than it was 0-0 and he did a great job of grinding through it and saving our bullpen.”
