The New York Mets have star pitcher Matt Harvey under contract until 2018, though the team will likely pursue a long-term contract extension in the coming years.
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Harvey Open to the Possibility of Signing an Extension
Monday, Feb. 15
Harvey hasn’t dismissed the possibility of signing a long-term contract extension with the Mets.
“I think whatever comes up is going to come up,” Harvey said on Monday, per Marc Carig of Newsday. “I think I’ve never shied away from it, I’ve never said I wouldn’t consider it.”
The one roadblock to an extension may be the presence of Scott Boras as Harvey’s agent, as Carig noted, as Boras has a history of taking his clients to free agency and maximizing their earnings rather than having them sign contract extensions.
Harvey, 26, avoided arbitration this season by signing a one-year, $4.325 million deal, per Carig. That number will only go up, especially if Harvey builds on his excellent 2015 campaign, when he went 13-8 with a 2.71 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 188 strikeouts in 189.1 innings pitched after returning from Tommy John surgery.
The future of the Mets is tied to a talented young rotation headlined by Harvey, Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard. Keeping that trio intact should be a priority for the Mets as they look to win a World Series in the coming years, though the team’s pitching depth may also serve as a nice backup plan for New York in the future if Harvey’s price is higher than what the team is willing to pay.
Additionally, given Harvey’s return from Tommy John surgery, the team may decide to see if Harvey can offer another dominant, healthy season before even considering a contract extension. For both sides, then, an extension may make sense, but there are also reasons to believe they will approach the situation tactically and patiently.
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