Angels Release Former All-Star Matt Harvey

Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Matt Harvey (33). Photo by Peter Joneleit/CSM/Shutterstock (10240170o)

The Los Angeles Angels made a move that surprised no one on Sunday, cutting bait with former All-Star starting pitcher Matt Harvey.

Harvey signed a one-year, $11 million deal with Los Angeles last offseason after a decent 2018 campaign with the Cincinnati Reds. While he wasn’t the “Dark Knight” of old, he still managed to post respectable numbers and show some of the promise that led him towards being one of the game’s top starters in his first few seasons.

However, the 30-year-old posted horrendous numbers in 12 starts with the Angels, posting a 7.09 ERA and allowing 13 home runs. He walked 29 batters and only struck out 39 in 59.2 innings of work.

It’s been a long fall from grace for Harvey, who burst into the scene with the New York Mets in 2012 and 2013 as one of the hottest commodities in the game. In fact, in 2013, he made the NL All-Star team and recorded an excellent 2.27 ERA in 29 starts, finishing 4th in Cy Young voting. He was a bonafide celebrity, appearing in New York tabloids and headlining stories.

However, after a Tommy John surgery at the end of the 2013 season and a 2016 bout with thoracic outlet syndrome, Harvey has been reduced to a shell of his former self.

He might receive another opportunity from a team to revive his career, but it appears that his baseball days may be on their last legs.

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