Matt Harvey, who pitched for several MLB organizations but had his best years with a New York Mets uniform, announced his retirement from baseball on Friday.
He is leaving the game with a 50-66 record, a 4.42 ERA, and 867 strikeouts.
He was an absolute star in Queens from 2012 to 2015, though, and looked like a perennial All-Star.
Harvey was an All-Star in 2013 and the National League’s Comeback Player of the Year in 2015, the same year in which he helped the Mets reach the World Series.
After that year, however, everything went south.
He had thoracic outlet syndrome, stealing his fastball velocity, and was a mess starting from 2016.
Suspensions for drug use, bad performances, and other controversies derailed his career.
Mets fans, however, prefer to remember the pitcher who was a true workhorse from 2012 to 2015.
Harvey showed some love towards Mets fans in his retirement announcement, too.
“Matt Harvey has announced his retirement from baseball on Instagram: ‘To the fans, most importantly the NY Mets fans: You made a dream come true for me. You are forever embedded in my heart. Goodbye, Baseball. And thank you.’ (via IG/mattharvey33),” SNY Mets tweeted.
Matt Harvey has announced his retirement from baseball on Instagram:
“To the fans, most importantly the NY Mets fans: You made a dream come true for me. You are forever embedded in my heart. Goodbye, Baseball. And thank you.”
(via IG/mattharvey33) pic.twitter.com/RRvSVQNcyo
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) May 5, 2023
Indeed, he lived a love story with Mets supporters in the first half of the 2010s decade.
It’s a shame that he had two lousy years in a row in 2016 in 2017 and then left the organization in 2018.
He wasn’t much better with the Cincinnati Reds, the Los Angeles Angels, the Kansas City Royals, or the Baltimore Orioles, but his arm just wasn’t the same.
He at least had a nice experience to close his career: he pitched with Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) this year.
Harvey lived the highs and the lows like no one else in baseball.
He is now stepping away from the game to start his life after baseball.
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Former MLB Ace Announces His Retirement