Mets to designate former All-Star Matt Harvey for assignment

The New York Mets will designate? Matt Harvey for assignment after the former ace declined a trip to the minor leagues, general manager Sandy Alderson told reporters on Friday.

The designation will occur on Saturday, Alderson said. The Mets will have seven days either to make a trade or release Harvey outright.

"My guess," Alderson said, "is that there are people out there who are willing to take a shot on Matt Harvey.

"It's the end of an era. And I use that term in the broad sense. Matt has been a cornerstone certainly of my tenure here. A tremendous prospect at the time I arrived, tremendous accomplishments during the course of my tenure here, and it's a very unfortunate, difficult conclusion."

Alderson added it "wasn't of his [Harvey's] making," as Harvey had undergone multiple severe surgeries and made much effort to return to his top levels.?

The right-handed Harvey, who was an All-Star in 2013, was moved to the bullpen this season after several ineffective starts.

On Thursday, appearing in relief against the Atlanta Braves, Harvey walked three and allowed three hits and five earned runs -- including a three-run homer to Ozzie Albies in the seventh inning. Harvey was booed off the mound.

Harvey spent the 2014 season recovering from Tommy John surgery and had surgery again in 2016 to resolve a condition called thoracic outlet syndrome.

When Harvey came back in 2015, he threw the most innings of any pitcher returning from the surgery. But from 2016 to 2018, Harvey's ERA is 5.93 and his strikeout percentage is 17 percent in 212 1/3 innings pitched, compared to his 2.53 ERA and 27 percent strikeout rate from 2012 to 2015 in 427 innings pitched.

Of 199 pitchers to throw at least 150 innings since the start of 2016, Harvey's 5.93 ERA ranked 195th of them all.

For the season, Harvey is 0-2 with a 7.00 ERA. He has allowed 33 hits in 27 innings.