Los Angeles Dodgers: Could Matt Harvey Be the Answer to a Tired Pen?

Today, the New York Mets made the decision to DFA struggling right-handed pitcher, Matt Harvey, after he refused to be sent down to the minor leagues. Could he be the boost the Los Angeles Dodgers pitching staff needs?

After a rough two seasons in blue and white stripes, the Mets have decided to part ways with former all-star, Matt Harvey. This decision doesn’t come as a shock, but it sure is a surprise. The impression was that when Sandy Alderson and the Mets hired Indians pitching coach, Mickey Callaway, as their new manager, that their pitching woes would come to a halt.

Though the injury bug hasn’t hit their rotation, Matt Harvey has yet to be on the receiving end of the Mets’ good luck.

In 2013, the Dark Knight was a legend in New York. That year, he boasted a 2.27 ERA and gave up only 7 home runs in nearly 180 innings. This season, Harvey has given up 6 homers after having pitched just one-seventh of the innings he pitched 5 years ago.

Matt Harvey is a big name player, even if his stats don’t support it right now. He has one of the most unforgettable nicknames in the game. He’s succeeded on the field more than once. But he also has an unforgettable reputation off the field. Just last weekend, when the Padres hosted the Mets, it was reported that Harvey took the two-hour drive up to LA to go to a nightclub in Beverly Hills.

His off-the-field history aside, could Matt Harvey find himself on the road to redemption? Could that road lead him to Dodger Stadium, and the pitching expertise of Rick Honeycutt?

I think it could.

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Matt Harvey, because of his history, is the kind of pitcher you don’t give up on. I’m not saying that’s what the Mets did, not in the slightest. They simply made a decision that they felt was best for their organization, something every club is forced to do at one point or another.

Baseball writers, and writers, in general, have their opinions. I sure have mine. One of those is that Theo Epstein was embracing his mental genius when he began asking his scouts for a change of scenery survey. Jake Arrieta is just one of the names to emerge from it successfully.

So, why not Matt Harvey? And why not with the Dodgers?

Per MLB rules, the team who designated the player has 7 days to trade them, reclaim them, or release them into free agency. The odds of the Mets reuniting with Harvey are small, meaning he will most likely be wearing the uniform of another team by months end, if not sooner.

The Los Angeles Dodgers may, or may not be the right fit for him. Of course, the bright lights of LA may not be the right place for a player with the reputation that Harvey has, but I believe that pitching comes first. Commitment to the team, and to the process, could erase any problems that may occur off the field.

Should Harvey join LA, I’m not worried about what could happen away from the Ravine. What I am worried about, what you should be worried about too, is Harvey’s performance on the field. It hasn’t been up to standard, but I whole-heartedly believe that Honeycutt and the Dodgers’ team chemistry could be the solution.

Though there’s been no word yet, and this is merely speculation, Harvey could be headed for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Here’s how it could work; the Dodgers trade a couple low-level prospects for Harvey but wait on a decision as to where they’ll play him. He’s a starter, but with the current rotation needing no immediate help, he could be sent to the pen. Harvey coming out of the bullpen in New York didn’t work but that’s where Rick Honeycutt comes in.

Rick Honeycutt will go down as one of the best pitching coaches in Dodger history, if not all of baseball. He’s been with the team for over a decade and deserves all the admiration he receives. With the help of Honeycut, Dave Roberts, and teammates like Clayton Kershaw and Rich Hill, Harvey could turn it around.

Players want to play for contenders, and the Dodgers are contenders, even if they don’t totally look like it now. The Dodgers are so close to becoming a force again. I don’t think that this version of Matt Harvey could be a difference maker on this team but, with hard work and a change of scenery, who knows?

Next: Manny Machado Is Not the Answer, Who Is?

The Dark Knight may just rise again and, this time, LA could benefit from his heroics. It’s just going to take a little time and a lot of hard work.

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