New York Mets may see a lot of Matt Harvey in 2019 and beyond

Matt Harvey won’t pitch again for the New York Mets in 2019. However, he may play at Citi Field plenty.

The dear old friend of the New York Mets, Matt Harvey, spent the last of his 2018 days with the Cincinnati Reds. During the trade deadline season, it did look like there was an opportunity for him to get traded to a contender. No deal ever happened, leaving Harvey in baseball purgatory.

Things may be different for the former Dark Knight in 2019. In fact, Mets fans may see him plenty.

Three of the division rivals the Mets face regularly could target Harvey over the winter. The Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, and Washington Nationals could all use a veteran starting pitcher. I wouldn’t call any a favorite to land him. Each is as equal of a fit as the next.

Going further, I wouldn’t rule out Harvey pitching for the Miami Marlins. Following their complete tear-down last offseason, it’s time to start building things up. They were far from a complete travesty in 2018, possibly setting up for brighter days ahead.

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Not to mention, the nightlife in Miami is surely intriguing to a man of Harvey’s interests. Still, the Marlins are last on the list of National League East opponents to sign him to any deal.

It seems like only yesterday we were reading about the big free agent class of 2018-2019. Names like Harvey, Clayton Kershaw, Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, and others would headline it. Now that it’s actually here, the players available are on the decline. Even Kershaw will likely not opt out of his current deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, leaving him to collect more money than we could even imagine regardless of how often he actually plays.

Harvey is not alone in this class of elite players who have regressed. Former MVP Andrew McCutchen is now with the New York Yankees as an afterthought behind current stars. Fellow MVP trophy holder Josh Donaldson is in a similar position with the Cleveland Indians.

There are 29 MLB teams Harvey could pitch for next year. For sure, the one uniform he will not wear is orange, blue, and the one we’ve seen him wear the most.

It’s too perfect for this saga for Harvey to join a National League East team. As a starting pitcher, we’re guaranteed to see him at least a few times per year. He’d get his chance at redemption while the Mets would have an opportunity to show it was the right time to move on from him.

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For all that happened in 2018, the Harvey storyline from April is one of the more distant big tales. A return to the National League East will bring it back and add to a baseball rivalry I think we could all get some entertainment from.