UNC Baseball: Matt Harvey puts together dominant stretch

After a shaky first half of the season, the former UNC baseball standout has been flat-out dominant over his most recent stretch of starts.

During the first half of the 2021 regular season, Matt Harvey was statistically one of the worst starting pitchers in baseball.

Early on, Harvey looked to somewhat regain form, as he won three of his first four decisions. However, a rough stretch of 11 starts made his ERA skyrocket, and many questioned just how long he’d last in the Orioles’ rotation.

When the Orioles signed the former UNC baseball standout to a minor league deal during the offseason, the hope was that Harvey would earn a spot in the team’s starting rotation and thrive in the role. If that were to happen, the team could have used him as a valuable trade chip prior to the MLB trade deadline.

Harvey’s struggles kept him from being dealt, as he had no value on the trade market. However, the former Tar Heel has been a much better pitcher in the second half of the season, and has been flat-out dominant over his last three starts.

The 32-year-old has not allowed a run since July 7. Since then, the right-hander has made three starts, all of which were Orioles victories, and has thrown 18 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings. With these three standout outings, Harvey saw his ERA drop from 7.70 to 6.20.

When asked about Harvey’s recent stretch, manager Brandon Hyde seemed very impressed with the veteran right-hander:

"“Just excellent. Excellent pitching. He’s not trying to rear back and throw 96 and miss in the middle. … He’s totally under control.”"

Of course, the Orioles would have loved to have had Harvey pitch better much earlier in order to keep their options open. Even though it did not work out as they had planned, this is still very good for the organization, as they could definitely benefit from Harvey pitching well every fifth day.

For Harvey, this is a way to remind everyone that he still has something left in the tank. As he vies for a potential starting rotation job this offseason, Harvey will have to continue putting more solid starts together.

Based on Hyde’s comments, it appears as if the former Tar Heel is starting to understand how to utilize his current skillset. The days of consistently blowing 95-plus MPH fastballs past hitters may be gone, but Harvey seems to be getting a better feel for his pitches as he works to figure out ways to get outs on a regular basis.

Continue to follow the Keeping It Heel team for all the latest news regarding Matt Harvey and the UNC baseball program.