NEW YORK -- For the second consecutive week, Matt Harvey took the unorthodox step of throwing his between-starts bullpen session in a simulated-game setting off Citi Field's main mound. While pitching coach Dan Warthen looked on Friday afternoon, Harvey faced batters Matt Reynolds and Alejandro De Aza, who took their cuts against the struggling right-hander.
"There are some things that we're seeing in certain situations, when the hitters are in there, that he's doing mechanically that we've got to get fixed," Collins said. "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, he's looking at things a little differently."
This time, however, the Mets made sure to modify Harvey's program, fearing he threw too much between starts last weekend. Harvey wound up allowing five runs in five innings against the Nationals, increasing his season ERA to 6.08. Harvey still has not addressed the media since his last start, declining multiple requests over the past few days.
"His sides have been out of sight," Collins said. "It's when the games have started that there are some things that are getting changed. So we just wanted to get some hitters in there."