Mets expect Harvey for potential Game 5

CHICAGO -- Any lingering uncertainty the Mets had regarding Matt Harvey's National League Championship Series Game 5 start has vanished. Harvey threw his routine between-starts bullpen session on Tuesday at Wrigley Field, with an eye toward pitching Thursday if necessary (7:30 p.m. air time on TBS, 8 p.m. game time).

"He's a lot better today," Collins said. "He looks like he'll be ready for Game 5."

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Given a clean bill of health, the only thing stopping Harvey's appearance from being an absolute certainty is the chance that the Mets, who entered Game 3 with a 2-0 series lead over the Cubs, sweep in four games.

Harvey's status had been unclear since Cubs center fielder Dexter Fowler hit him in the right triceps with a line drive in Game 1.Though Harvey stayed in that game, his triceps swelled up afterward -- "like a horse kicked him," as pitching coach Dan Warthen described it. Harvey played catch Monday in advance of Tuesday's bullpen session, with no ill effects.