Matt Harvey was back in the laboratory Friday searching for the perfect form.
Instead of throwing a bullpen session, the scuffling Mets right-hander — for the second time in less than a week — held a between-starts workout on the field, with a batter standing in the box.
The purpose, according to manager Terry Collins, was to correct a flaw in Harvey’s mechanics that team officials have spotted during recent games.
“We’re seeing some things in certain situations when the hitters are in there that he’s doing mechanically that we’ve got to get fixed,” Collins said before the Mets faced the Dodgers. “Therefore we wanted hitters in there, even though it’s tough to simulate a regular game, but at least when you’ve got a hitter in the batter’s box, [Harvey] is looking at things a little differently.”
Harvey, who is 3-7 with a 6.08 ERA, is scheduled to pitch at Citi Field on Monday.
In his start against the Nationals on Tuesday, Harvey allowed three home runs and was removed after the fifth inning. The middle innings have doomed Harvey this season — opponents are batting .413 against him after the third inning.
The Mets have ruled out the possibility Harvey is tipping his pitches.
“There’s things going on the second time through the order that he’s doing, and I’m not going to get into them,” Collins said. “We’re seeing stuff he’s doing on the mound that it’s not giving away, but it’s keeping him from having the ability to make the pitches he needs to make. We’re seeing the velocity drop, and there’s a reason for that. We’re seeing lack of command for his breaking ball.”