NEW YORK — When Matt Harvey made his first start in July 2012, he was considered a savior for the New York Mets, who had been floundering since an NLCS appearance in 2006. That night, Harvey threw five and one-third innings in Phoenix, Arizona, gave up three hits, walked three, and struck out 11 batters.
On Friday morning, 34-year-old Harvey, who last pitched in the Majors on September 8, 2021, announced his retirement from baseball via an Instagram post in which he thanked his family, friends, and fans, specifically Met fans.
“To the fans, most importantly the New York Mets fans: You made a dream come true for me. A dream I never could have thought to be true. Who would have thought a kid from Mystic, CT, would be able to play in the greatest city in the world, his hometown? You are forever embedded in my heart. Goodbye, baseball, and thank you.”
Harvey burst onto the scene with that performance in July 2012, but his career was full of more downs than ups. He had his best season in 2013 when he made the NL All-Star team, but it was also cut short when he announced on August 26 of that year that he’d be undergoing Tommy John surgery to repair a torn UCL.
Harvey finished with a 9-5 record and a 2.27 ERA in 26 starts. He struck out 191 batters in 178 and one-third innings and finished fourth in the NL Cy Young vote. Before the injury, it looked like he was on a similar path as other young Met phenoms like Tom Seaver, who in 1968 also pitched over 175 innings and had a sub 2,50 ERA.
After missing the entire 2014 season, Harvey returned to the Mets and helped lead them to their first World Series appearance in 15 years. He was 13-8 with a 2.71 ERA in just over 189 innings, and it looked as if the surgery didn’t slow him down. He pitched in four games during the 2015 postseason, including the final game of the World Series. It was a win for Kansas City, and they won their first title since 1985, but for Harvey, it was one of his best games as a Met.
The Mets were up 2-0 heading into the top of the ninth, with Harvey still on the mound. He, unfortunately, ran out of gas and allowed the Royals to tie the game, but to this day, Mets fans still appreciate the effort Harvey put into that game. His final line that night was eight innings pitched, two runs on five hits with two walks and nine strikeouts.
It was his last good season with the Mets. His 2016 season ended early when it was discovered Harvey had Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, and he had season-ending surgery to correct the issue. His last full season with the Mets was in 2017, and he was traded to Cincinnati in 2018.
Harvey spent the last three seasons of his career with three different teams—the Los Angeles Angels, the Kansas City Royals, and the Baltimore Orioles. He finished his nine-year career with a 50-61 record and a 4.42 ERA.