Mets rethinking Matt Harvey plan after realizing flaw

The Mets are weighing a creative way to keep pitcher Matt Harvey sharp without running up his innings too high.

General manager Sandy Alderson said Harvey would “tentatively” make two more starts this season – one against the Yankees and another against the Nats (if needed) – but it seems as if the Mets think keeping him out of action for an extended period of time in between outings could hurt his performance heading into October.

“We’re all on the same page”, Collins said. “If we get in the postseason we have got to have Matt Harvey ready to pitch and I don’t need him to have 15 days off, so we’ve got to come up with a plan that is going to get him out there a little bit more”.

“We’ll see where I am after that, but it’s feeling better”, Torres said. The right-hander, at the center of the storm over innings limits and his availability in the playoffs, will be limited to shorter starts – likely five inning – in his starts from here on out.

If innings weren’t a concern, Sunday would have been Harvey’s day to pitch. If we get in the postseason, we’ve got to have Matt Harvey ready to pitch.

Harvey, in his first full season removed from Tommy John surgery, has logged 171 ²/₃ innings.

In the shortened starts, Harvey would have a reliever such as Sean Gilmartin, Erik Goeddel or Tim Stauffer as his designated replacement in the middle innings.

Harvey is expected to make his next start next weekend at Citi Field against the Yankees, but Collins wouldn’t reveal his upcoming rotation that far ahead.

Collins said he is just looking for the spot starter to give the Mets a chance to win. The stuff he did in Colorado.

The new plan marks a departure from the Mets’ initial thinking, which involved Harvey pitching twice more in the regular season, with long breaks in between. “No excuses. I pitch a lot every year”. “We’re real comfortable starting him”.