CINCINNATI — Matt Harvey is tired of hearing about velocity.
The Mets right-hander, who is set to return from the disabled list Saturday to face the Astros in Game 1 of a doubleheader, was sitting only in the 91-93 mph range in his last rehab start for Double-A Binghamton, but said he can get outs, regardless of his heat.
“I think everybody is so worried about velocity,” Harvey said before the Mets faced the Reds on Wednesday. “It’s about getting hitters out, that is the biggest thing.
“I feel like I have been around long enough and injured long enough to realize velocity isn’t everything and getting people out and staying healthy is the most important thing. You get a professional hitter in there and things will start working the way I want to.”
Harvey, who has been rehabbing from a stress injury in his right scapula, threw a bullpen session at Great American Ball Park he said was among his best recently.
“Finally coming back and not having any issues between an outing or a bullpen session, not getting sore from those, that is the biggest thing,” Harvey said. “If I can get five or six solid starts and feel healthy and strong in between each start and going into each start and going into the offseason strong and healthy, that is the biggest thing.”
Michael Conforto is still weighing his options, according to an industry source, after receiving a second opinion Tuesday on his damaged left shoulder. Conforto has been diagnosed with a tear in the posterior capsule — after dislocating the shoulder — that could necessitate surgery.
Noah Syndergaard is scheduled to pitch one inning Saturday for the Gulf Coast League Mets in his first rehab appearance since tearing his right lat in April.