Tar Heels in the Pros: Matt Harvey’s solid 2021 campaign

Former UNC baseball standout returning to form with Baltimore Orioles

There’s always the idea that somewhere in the world exists a fountain of youth, somewhere people can go to recapture their younger years that they look so fondly upon. If that place does exist, maybe people should head toward Baltimore, because there may be one near Camden Yards.

Matt Harvey may have discovered such a fountain, because the way he has pitched lately for the Orioles is reminiscent of his time with the New York Mets — a time when he accounted for one-third of the formidable trio that included Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard.

First, here’s a look at the numbers for the former Tar Heel pitcher posted so far this season: 4.26 ERA, 25.1 innings pitched and a 1.30 WHIP (walks and hits per inning). There’s nothing that screams potential AL Cy Young there, but let’s go a little deeper into the game logs.

Opening the 2021 season with two starts against the tough Boston Red Sox, he combined for 9.2 innings pitched, 13 hits, six runs, two walks and 9 strikeouts. In other words, the season started terribly for Harvey. But his last three against Seattle, Miami and the daunting Yankees — 15.2 innings pitched, 14 hits, six runs and four walks.

And again, that’s nothing amazing, but it’s solid and respectable work out on the mound. Particularly, his start against New York at home is worth talking about. The Yankees have a tough lineup, and Camden Yards is not the most pitcher-friendly park in all of baseball. Harvey pitched 6.0 innings, allowed three hits, one run, three walks and struck out five for the win.

More importantly, Harvey is 2-1, which is a better start to a season than he’s had in quite some time. In a shortened 2020 season, he failed to record a win, and 2019 saw him go 3-5 with a 7.09 ERA. The last winning season Harvey completed was in 2015 after Tommy John Surgery in the year prior.

This is another important note about the current year for Matt Harvey—he’s finally healthy. In a career marred by injuries, especially the aforementioned Tommy John where he missed all of 2014, Harvey bounced on and off the IL like a game of pong in years prior. Just one look at recent transactions on MLB, placed on 10-day IL, transferred to 60-day IL, rehab assignment A, rehab assignment B; all signs of injury.

Where he’s been injured has also played a part, as his right shoulder and right latissimus dorsi (back muscles) have been cited as reasons he’s gone to the IL. While not a foregone conclusion as to why he has not performed well, these problems can affect a pitchers performance on the mound, and mess up any potential rhythm a starter has in the typical five-day cycle within a rotation.

The last great season Harvey pitched was 2015, a 13-8 record, 2.71 ERA, 189.1 innings pitched and 188 strikeouts in that year. With the start so far this season, it’s possible that Harvey posts similar numbers. We cannot, however, hold him to those standards, simply because of injuries that have tolled his body and age, as we all know time wears down the body. Father time is undefeated after all.

Harvey’s next start is slated for Saturday against a tough Oakland A’s team, which recently lost their 13-game win streak to the Orioles. It will be interesting to keep tabs on him because of his somewhat shocking start to the season, and to see if he can keep up the pace—he is in a tough AL East division after all.

For continued coverage of Matt Harvey’s 2021 season, and other former UNC baseball standouts, check back with Keeping It Heel!