Chicago Cubs: Why the Cubs should trade for Matt Harvey

It’s a low-risk, high-reward move.

Since Harvey has been rather atrocious the past two seasons, his trade value is as low as it has ever been.  Last year seemed to be a fluke for Harvey when he pitched to a 4.86 ERA in just 17 starts.

More from Cubbies Crib

• Cubs starting pitching has been thriving on the North Side
• Make no mistake: the Cubs are very much about power hitters
• Cubs are giving pitcher Javier Assad a deserved shot
• Cubs: It’s time to start thinking about potential September call-ups
• Cubs: P.J. Higgins deserves to be in the lineup on a daily basis

This year, however, seems to be more of the same, if not worse.  According to Baseball Reference, Harvey has career-lows in strikeouts per nine (6.8), strikeouts per walk (1.44) and ERA+ (76) just to name a few.  He also has career highs in WHIP (1.484), home runs per nine (1.9), walks per nine (4.7) and many other categories.

With these numbers, the Mets’ asking price is presumably something along the lines of a ham sandwich.  So if you’re the Cubs, you only have to give up one or maybe two top-25 prospects to land him.

Money isn’t really an issue either.  He is currently making $5.125 million, is arbitration-eligible next year, then becomes a free agent in 2019.

This means that the Cubs would give up basically nothing for him and get him for relatively cheap. If he doesn’t work out, no problem.  If he works out, though, the Cubs hit the lottery.

A change of scenery is sometimes just the right thing.

Now I’m sure you’ve heard the whole Adriana Lima fiasco.  It wasn’t Harvey’s best look, but I’m also pretty sure that most of you don’t know what it’s like to break up with a supermodel either.

Chicago Cubs

So why would Chicago be better for Harvey?  The media here is tough, but it’s nowhere near New York.  Harvey wouldn’t have to worry about being a part of any other section in the newspaper besides the sports section.

Harvey would also be coming into a very close-knit clubhouse, which doesn’t seem to be the case in New York.  He wouldn’t have as much pressure on him as he does now, being a top-of-the-rotation pitcher.

The 28-year-old righty would presumably slide into the #4 or 5 slot in the Cubs’ rotation, until Hendricks is re-activated. Then the Cubs would either stick with a six-man rotation or move somebody to the bullpen.

If Harvey can get out of the poisonous atmosphere that is the New York Mets right now, it could be just the right thing for him.

Matt Harvey has proven he can pitch at a high level and pitch effectively.

I know most of you remember Harvey begging to pitch the ninth in the deciding Game 5 of the 2015 World Series.  Up until then, Harvey had given up just one earned run, allowed five hits, and had nine strike outs.

Aside from the run he gave up in the ninth inning of that game – that is an epic clutch performance.   Harvey’s other postseason numbers in that 2015 campaign are pretty good, too.

In his four playoff starts, he has a 3.04 ERA, 27 strikeouts and has only given up eight walks.  These numbers are extremely important, especially to a presumptive playoff-bound team like the Cubs.

Matt Harvey might not be what you picture when you hear the word ‘athlete’.

According to his Baseball Reference page, he is listed at 6’4 and 215 lbs.

In 2014, Harvey missed the entire season while recovering from Tommy John surgery.  While the words ‘Tommy John’ aren’t exactly what you want to hear when talking about a pitcher, it has definitely become more common in recent years.

Despite the fact that his numbers have been down significantly the past two years, he pitched masterfully in 2015, the year after the surgery.  In his 2015 campaign, in 29 starts Harvey had a 2.71 ERA, 1.019 WHIP, and gave up just 1.8 walks per 9.

Harvey is only 28 years old now – this should be his prime.  And while he has had two significantly down years, the Cubs would be wise to make this move.

Next: Cubs place Hendricks on DL, transfer Anderson