FORT MYERS, Fla. — Nothing Matt Harvey did Monday against the Red Sox could overshadow the news that Zack Wheeler is lost for the season because of a torn ligament in his right elbow.
But he at least showed the Mets’ season might not be totally ruined by Wheeler’s injury. Harvey looked sharp in four shutout innings in a 4-3 loss at JetBlue Park.
His fastball topped out at 98 mph and consistently landed north of 95 and against a lineup of everyday Red Sox, Harvey, who threw 53 pitches, surrendered just three hits and also displayed an excellent slider and changeup.
David Ortiz recalled facing him in the All-Star Game in 2013.
“His fastball was a couple of miles [per hour] harder back then, but this is spring training,” Ortiz said. “I’m sure he’s gonna get there at some point.”
Overall, Ortiz came away impressed.
“He looked good,” Ortiz said. “He was locating his pitches, using different pitches. His slider was very powerful and he had good command.”
The slider was among the most important things Harvey worked on against Boston.
“It felt great,” said Harvey, who has adjusted his grip on the pitch. “I’m still working.”
He was able to use it to strike out Pedroia on a 3-2 pitch in the third.
“That was his best off-speed pitch,” Pedroia said. “It started in the zone and took off.”
Pitching coach Dan Warthen called it “vintage” and said Harvey got better as the game went along.
Pablo Sandoval hit an opposite-field double down the line and Mookie Betts added a double off the JetBlue Park Green Monster on a back-door change an inning later. Other than that, the Boston lineup, filled with regulars, didn’t do much.
Even Harvey was surprised by his velocity and admitted to peeking at the radar-gun display in the outfield.
“I threw two or three fastballs I could’ve sworn were like 88 mph and I looked up and was a little shocked at how hard it was,” Harvey said. “It’s kind of a reassuring thing that I can still hum it up there.”
Harvey finished with his strongest inning of the day, a seven-pitch fourth, getting Sandoval to chase a high fastball to end the inning.
Before the game, Boston manager John Farrell compared Harvey to John Lackey, who missed the entire 2012 after Tommy John surgery.
“Taking that 16-17 months [off] makes a huge difference,” Farrell said. “It wouldn’t be out of the norm to think he’s gonna regain his previous levels right from Opening Day.”
Even so, it won’t totally make up for the absence of Wheeler.
“It’s a big blow to us, having Zack down,” Harvey said. “I think we’ve got enough experience that we can hold our own.”