Royals ink Matt Harvey to minor-league deal as starting rotation takes another hit
The Kansas City Royals have become the latest team to give former star pitcher Matt Harvey an opportunity to show he’s bounced back after being one of the top young pitchers in the game and then struggling in the aftermath of multiple surgeries.
The Royals officially announced they’d signed Harvey, 31, to a minor-league contract Tuesday.
The Star reported last week that the club was close to an agreement with Harvey. The minor-league deal would pay the right-hander a prorated $575,000 if he pitches in the majors, with nominal performance bonuses for games starts and relief appearances, according to a source.
The Royals’ starting pitching options have grown thin in recent weeks with right-handers Brad Keller and Jakob Junis on the injured list after COVID-19 infections slowed their progressions during spring training 2.0. Left-hander Mike Montgomery, who started Monday night in Detroit, was placed on the IL Tuesday with a lat strain.
The Royals will use relief pitcher Kyle Zimmer as the “opener” Tuesday night. They will have used the opener for two of their first five games, and top pitching prospect Brady Singer made his MLB debut Saturday.
The seventh overall pick in the 2010 MLB Draft, the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Harvey has pitched for the New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Angels and Oakland Athletics since 2018.
Harvey started the 2013 All-Star Game for the National League while a member of the Mets. Two years later, he helped lead the Mets to the World Series, where they lost to the Royals. Harvey started for the Mets in the series-clinching game.
He came back from Tommy John surgery at the end of 2013, but he has struggled with consistency since he had thoracic outlet decompression surgery in 2016.
Last season, Harvey went 3-5 with a 7.09 ERA, 39 strikeouts, 29 walks and a 1.54 WHIP in 12 starts (59 2/3 innings).
He began that season with the Angels, but the club released him in July and he finished the season in the minors for the Athletics.
For his career, he’s 44-49 with a 4.04 ERA, 762 strikeouts, 232 walks and a 1.23 WHIP.
This story was originally published July 28, 2020 at 3:18 PM with the headline "Royals ink Matt Harvey to minor-league deal as starting rotation takes another hit."
