The Mets' offseason should become even more eventful now that Matt Harvey will not be a part of the team in 2014.
Shale Briskin
MM Assistant Editor
The Mets have just learned that their star ace pitcher Matt Harvey has decided to go under the knife and have Tommy John surgery on his right elbow after further discussions with his doctors. Harvey was originally going to do a 6-8 week throwing program to see the condition his elbow was in, but apparently, he has decided to just have the surgery and prepare for 2015.
The typical time frame for recovery from Tommy John surgery takes a full year, which should put Harvey in great shape to be ready for Spring Training in 2015. This is obviously a huge blow to the Mets, who are primed to have a big offseason and turn the team into a winning ballclub in 2014. The Mets are already in need of a new shortstop and one or two new outfielders. But now, a veteran starting pitcher has become an even greater need than before.
Fans should not worry too much about the Mets' pitching for 2014. Harvey may have been their best pitcher in 2013, but the Mets are fortunate to have a lot of young pitching depth. Zack Wheeler, Jon Niese and Dillon Gee will lead the rotation. The other two spots could be filled by free agents, or internally by pitchers like Carlos Torres or Jenrry Mejia, among others.
Furthermore, the Mets' top two pitching prospects Noah Syndergaard and Rafael Montero could both be major league ready sometime in 2014. The safe bet is that they will both make their major league debuts in June 2014 or later, as evidenced by the way the Mets transitioned Wheeler to the major leagues this season. Jacob deGrom is another option, but does not present as much potential as Syndergaard or Montero.
All in all, don't hit the panic button just yet! Losing Matt Harvey for 2014 is obviously terrible for the Mets, but even if he was healthy, the Mets still have a lot of work to do in order to have a better team next season. There are still issues at first base, shortstop, in the outfield and in the bullpen that would still be pressing issues regardless of Harvey's status. One player does not represent an entire team. There are 25 players on a roster and each and every one of them is important to a team's overall success. Let's hope Sandy Alderson and his assistants can use this offseason to put together a winning Mets team for 2014 and beyond!
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