Ranking Matt Harvey's Top Five Mets Moments
From his Mets debut in 2012 through the World Series in 2015, Matt Harvey was one of the most electric pitchers who ever called Flushing home.
With Harvey announcing his retirement on Friday, penning a heartfelt message to Mets fans, here are his top Mets moments...
No. 5: Return from Tommy John surgery at Citi Field - April 14, 2015
Harvey's magical 2013 season was cut short due to Tommy John surgery, but he returned with a vengeance in 2015.
During his first home start in 2015, Citi Field was as electric as it had ever been as Harvey struck out eight batters in six innings as the Mets beat the Philadelphia Phillies.
It wasn't close to one of Harvey's best performances, but the night meant so much more than that.
No. 4: Electric Big League Debut - July 26, 2012
Harvey was not viewed by most experts as a prospect with ace potential while he was in the minors, so his first start in Arizona provided even more of a jolt than it would've had he been more highly touted.
Showcasing his electric stuff, Harvey struck out 11 batters in 5.1 scoreless innings against the Diamondbacks while announcing his Mets presence with authority.
No. 3 The Bloody Nose Game - May 7, 2013
This was Harvey's most dominant performance as a Met, and it started with him looking like a man possessed as blood dripped out of his nose and down his face in the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Citi Field.
Harvey was nearly perfect this night, tossing a shutout while giving up just one hit, striking out 12, and walking none.
No. 2: All-Star Game Start at Citi - July 16, 2013
The culmination of Harvey's rise was the All-Star Game start at Citi Field, and his performance did not disappoint.
Harvey tossed 2.0 scoreless innings against the American League, allowing just one hit and striking out three. Miguel Cabrera, Jose Bautista, and Adam Jones were his strikeout victims.
No. 1: 2015 NLCS and World Series
Harvey's start in Game 1 of the 2015 NLCS gets lost in the shuffle a bit, but he was brilliant.
He limited the powerful Chicago Cubs lineup to two runs on four hits in 7.2 innings while striking out nine and walking two at Citi Field as the Mets struck first on their way to a four-game sweep.
After a so-so start in Game 1 of the World Series against the Royals in Kansas City (three runs and just two strikeouts in six innings), Harvey was utterly dominant in Game 5.
As the Mets faced elimination at home, Harvey tossed eight scoreless innings while allowing four hits, striking out nine, and walking one. Harvey then told Terry Collins he was good to come back for the ninth and came racing out of the dugout to a thunderous ovation.
We all know what happened next, but that doesn't erase what Harvey did in the first eight frames.
Like Harvey's Mets career, his Game 5 performance is one of the all-time what-ifs in Mets history.
