WASHINGTON -- New York Mets general manager Sandy Alderson outlined a tentative pitching plan for Matt Harvey that includes two more regular-season starts.
Harvey would pitch during a Sept. 18-20 series against the New York Yankees, then during the final series of the regular season Oct. 2-4 against the Washington Nationals.
Alderson cautioned that he still is consulting with Dr. James Andrews and agent Scott Boras and the plan is not cemented.
The Mets, who are now using a six-man rotation, will skip Harvey on Monday against the Miami Marlins at Citi Field. Rookie right-hander Logan Verrett is likely to take that turn.
After matching a career-worst by allowing seven runs in 5â…“ innings Tuesday against the Nationals, Harvey's innings count this season sits at 171â…”. Boras suggested last week that crossing 180 innings might imperil Harvey's health in his first season back from Tommy John surgery.
"I still expect to have conversations with Dr. Andrews and with Scott," Alderson said. "Based on what we've talked about so far, he'd come back for that Yankees series and then maybe come back for the Nationals series at the end. But the doctor may decide that's not the best way to keep him ready [for the postseason]. So I don't want to be evasive.
"But everything is tentative right now. It's not tentative on the basis of, 'Jeez, he's only got X number of innings left.' It's tentative based on what's in his best interest with a view toward pitching in the playoffs and what's in our best interest with a view toward actually getting to the playoffs as well."
Alderson noted Dr. Andrews has cautioned against a quasi-shutdown before revving up for the playoffs, as a lack of continuity could also contribute to injury. Whether it is pitching against the Nats in the last series or otherwise, some type of activity will have to take place late in the regular season to keep Harvey sharp and available to pitch in the postseason.
"That's the balance," Alderson said.
Alderson said the Mets also hope to skip Jacob deGrom once before the end of the season if circumstances allow. DeGrom is not on a strict innings restriction after tossing 178â…” innings last season between the majors and minors. Still, the Mets feel he would be rejuvenated entering the postseason by being skipped once.
Entering Wednesday's game at Nationals Park, deGrom has pitched 176 innings this season, including the All-Star game. He has a 2.40 ERA this season, but that has gone up his past few starts. His velocity has not dipped, but manager Terry Collins said fatigue is potentially a factor in deGrom's pitches' creeping upward in the zone and his becoming more hittable.
"If we could do it, I think it would be a preference," Alderson said of skipping deGrom. "Just generally, giving him a break would be a good idea, as it would be for most starting pitchers."
Harvey's postseason workload remains nebulous beyond his contributing. Alderson said potentially limiting Harvey to 60 pitches per game in the playoffs -- a reported consideration -- "has never been discussed."
"It hasn't even been thought of, as far as I know," Alderson said.
Alderson said he believes Harvey will be available in the postseason in some form.
"When we put this plan together last winter, we really didn't put any specific plan together with respect to the playoffs," Alderson said. "It was always, conceptually, he'd be available. But we hadn't really talked about how we would practically implement that, and we still haven't."
