Matt Harvey considering season-season ending surgery due to TO syndrome
Harvey may be dealing with thoracic outlet syndrome
By
Dayn Perry
•
2 min read
Mets right-hander and ace of yore Matt Harvey on Wednesday hit the disabled list with what was termed "shoulder discomfort." Additional tests were scheduled. Now, those tests have been performed, and Harvey's condition appears to be more serious ...
Matt Harvey has been diagnosed with "symptoms consistent with thoracic outlet syndrome" and is considering season-ending surgery. #Mets
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) July 7, 2016
According to multiple reporters, Mets GM Sandy Alderson acknowledged that surgery for Harvey is likely inevitable; however, it's not necessarily in the immediate offing. Also according to DiComo, Harvey is considering first trying a non-surgical treatment for thoracic outlet syndrome.
Regarding thoracic outlet syndrome, here's this from an excellent Beyond the Box Score piece on the condition:
Thoracic outlet syndrome is an injury that involves the compression of blood vessels and nerves that extend from the neck to the shoulder. It can result in continued pain and numbness in the shoulder and throughout the arm, and it is often difficult to diagnose. The most common surgical procedure for this injury involves the removal of an upper rib near the shoulder. This operation lessens the pressure on the nerve bundle by giving it a wider area to pass.
Key takeaway: It's a serious condition, and some pitchers are never the same after diagnosis. Harvey also underwent Tommy John surgery in October of 2013.
Five Things to Know
1. Harvey seems not to have been right for some time.
In this, his age-27 season, he's pitched to a 4.86 ERA (83 ERA+) and 3.04 K/BB ratio. Coming into 2016, he had a career ERA of 2.53 (146 ERA+) and a career K/BB ratio of 4.78. That's a significant decline on both the run-prevention front and the command-and-control front.
Also, as this Brooks Baseball chart shows, Harvey's velocity has been tracking downward ...
Velocity tends to decline very quickly in a pitcher's career, but Harvey's drop-off, while not extreme, could also be an indicator of underlying health concerns.
2. Harvey was absolutely not himself last time out.
On his Fourth of July start against the Marlins, Harvey allowed six runs on 11 hits in just 3 2/3 innings. More concerning than than the numbers, though, is this ...
Collins said Harvey said this after last start: "'My shoulder's dead, my arm's dead, there's no energy there, I couldn't feel the ball.'"
— James Wagner (@ByJamesWagner) July 7, 2016
As that BTBS piece noted, guys like Jaime Garcia and, initially, Matt Harrison achieved success after being treated for TO Syndrome. Others like Chris Carpenter and Shaun Marcum weren't so fortunate. For Harvey, his relative youth and high-velocity foundation are surely in his favor. Major shoulder problems not long after major elbow problems probably doesn't bode so well.
4. Harvey isn't the Mets' only injury concern in the rotation.
Bartolo Colon is 43. Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz each has bone spurs in his pitching elbow. Zack Wheeler, who'd been tabbed to provide depth in the second half after his return from Tommy John surgery, was shut down in June because of elbow discomfort and just resumed throwing this week.
5. Logan Verrett figures to remain in the Mets' rotation.
Verrett has made five spot starts this season, and for his career he has nine starts and 32 relief appearances. As a starter he's pitched to a 4.50 ERA and 1.67 K/BB ratio. As a reliever, he's got an ERA of 3.18 and a K/BB ratio of 2.38. Verrett will start Saturday against the Nationals, in place of Harvey.
