Matt Harvey is a former professional baseball player who played as a pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). He was born on March 27, 1989, in New London, Connecticut, and attended Fitch Senior High School in Groton, Connecticut. Harvey was a standout athlete in high school, excelling in both baseball and basketball. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels in the third round of the 2021 MLB draft.
Harvey began his professional baseball career in 2010 when he was drafted by the New York Mets in the first round of the MLB draft. He quickly rose through the ranks of the Mets' minor league system and made his MLB debut in 2012. In his rookie season, Harvey was one of the best pitchers in the league, finishing with a 2.73 ERA and 70 strikeouts in just 59.1 innings pitched. He was named to the National League All-Star team and finished fourth in the NL Rookie of the Year voting.
Harvey continued to dominate in the 2013 season, finishing with a 2.27 ERA and 191 strikeouts in 178.1 innings pitched. He was again named to the All-Star team and finished fourth in the NL Cy Young Award voting. However, Harvey's career took a turn in 2014 when he suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow, requiring Tommy John surgery and causing him to miss the entire 2014 season.
Harvey returned to the Mets in 2015 and helped lead the team to the World Series, where they ultimately lost to the Kansas City Royals. Harvey was involved in a controversial decision by Mets manager Terry Collins to leave him in the game in the ninth inning of Game 5, which the Mets eventually lost. Harvey finished the season with a 2.71 ERA and 188 strikeouts in 189.1 innings pitched.
Harvey's career began to decline after the 2015 season. He struggled with injuries and inconsistency, finishing with a 4.86 ERA in 2016 and a 6.70 ERA in 2017. The Mets traded Harvey to the Cincinnati Reds in 2018, where he continued to struggle, finishing with a 7.00 ERA in 24 starts.
Harvey signed with the Los Angeles Angels in 2019 and had a solid season, finishing with a 4.46 ERA in 12 starts. However, he struggled in 2020, finishing with a 11.57 ERA in seven starts. The Angels released Harvey in July 2020.
Overall, Harvey's career was marked by early success and promise, but injuries and inconsistency derailed his career in later years. Despite his struggles, Harvey will be remembered as one of the best pitchers in Mets history and a key contributor to the team's run to the World Series in 2015.
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