It's pretty fitting that he starts tonight, isn't it?
New York Mets starter Matt Harvey has had a wild week. After saying in a press conference that he couldn't talk about his postseason role, rumors flew around the baseball world criticizing Harvey for not committing to pitching on the biggest stage. Questions still remain. What's Harvey's true innings limit? Is it 180 innings or 200? Is his agent Scott Boras more involved in this issue than we think?
With so many opinions flying around the Twittersphere and newsrooms alike, Harvey took it on himself to silence his critics.
Even so, Harvey's potential playoff role remains unclear, but he has a chance to truly silence those doubting him before October rolls around.
It starts tonight on the road against the Washington Nationals.
The Mets haven't had a regular season series this big since 2008. Entering the first game on Monday afternoon with a four-game lead, the pressure was on New York to inch ever closer to their first division title in nine years. After Jon Niese put the Mets in a 5-3 hole, the Amazins woke up, ending up with an electrifying win that might've been their biggest victory in almost a decade.
Now, with a five-game lead in the N.L. East, Matthew Edward Harvey steps onto the rubber.
It's must-see TV, a September baseball game that the Mets haven't experienced in a long time. But, even if Harvey's playoff role is diminished or smaller in any way, he can make it up to Met fans by dominating the Washington Nationals tonight.
Harvey has always been an expressive guy. Since day one with the Mets, he's shown his desire to be the best in the business, even after having Tommy John Surgery and missing the 2014 season. He has voiced his desire to earn a $200 million contract, and his ownership and pride of his nickname "The Dark Knight" has shown his competitive spirit.
And he better show that spirit tonight.
No matter what happens in October, if Harvey can give the Mets a huge win on Tuesday night, it could all be worth it. The Metsies haven't made it to the playoffs since 2006, and since the summer resurgence of the orange and blue, Met fans have been starving ever more for that division crown. They're not in the postseason yet, but winning the first two games in this huge three-game series would be enormous. And right now, that's all Harvey should be thinking about.
Not his inning limit, not his elbow, not October. Just tonight's game in Nationals Park.
The Dark Knight of Gotham. The Real Deal. The Hero the Mets Need. In an instant tonight against a division rival, Matt Harvey can live up to all that hype. With all that's occurred in the past few days, Harvey has shown that perhaps he isn't ready for the big time, and that maybe he isn't the hero the Mets need. But with one game, Harvey can prove everyone wrong by showing us that he is The Real Deal and that the Metropolitans need him.
New York has reached this point thanks to their pitching. Although the addition of Yoenis Cespedes and the return of David Wright and Travis d'Arnaud has bolstered the lineup into the best hitting machine in the N.L. since July 25th. However, the Mets will be as good as their pitching come October. And Harvey needs to show that he wants to be there, that he wants to be a part of it, that he doesn't just want to fire fastballs past the whizzing swings of Bryce Harper and Wilson Ramos for the money, but to give his team that he loves a chance for something bigger.
A chance for October glory.
And it all starts on a warm, windy, September night in Washington.