Mets righthander Matt Harvey will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery, according to multiple reports.
The news was expected since Thursday when the pitcher was diagnosed with symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome.
Harvey’s agent, Scott Boras, told ESPN that the pitcher’s poor performance this season stemmed from the condition.
TOS is a condition that causes numbness stemming from compressed nerves and blood vessels near the shoulder. Harvey is dealing primarily with a nerve issue.
GM Sandy Alderson called surgery “inevitable” on Thursday, portraying it as only a matter of timing.
Harvey faces a four-month recovery time and is expected to be ready for the 2017 season.
Harvey, 27, has struggled this season, his second after Tommy John surgery ended his 2013 season early. He is 4-10 with a 4.86 ERA.
The condition, Alderson said, can be caused by muscle buildup, bone displacement or repetitive use. But he refused to cite Harvey’s heavy 2015 workload — 216 innings, including the postseason — as a possible cause.
Operations to resolve TOS have brought a wide range of outcomes. Some pitchers, such as Josh Beckett and Chris Young, have bounced back and resumed their careers after surgery. But others, such as Jeremy Bonderman and Noah Lowry, were left in a diminished state, their careers effectively over.
..... - Newsday