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Matt Harvey's next start for the Cincinnati Reds is likely to be his last start for them, and that start takes place Saturday against the first-place Philadelphia Phillies. After that, it's difficult to predict where Harvey will land. Milwaukee, perhaps, or maybe a surprise destination.
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Harvey, coming off the worst of his 13 starts for Cincinnati, opposes Phillies right-hander Vince Velasquez (7-8) in the third game of a four-game series at Great American Ball Park. No doubt Harvey wants to make up for his only start since the All-Star break, a 9-2 loss Sunday to the Pittsburgh Pirates in which he gave up eight runs in 3 2/3 innings.
He'd also like to make a good impression on any teams looking to acquire him before the July 31 deadline for trading without waivers.
Harvey is resuscitating his career with the Reds after the New York Mets designated the former National League All-Star for assignment earlier this season and subsequently traded him. He's 5-4 with a 4.50 ERA in 13 starts, winning four consecutive decisions before Sunday.
In six starts from June 15 through July 13, Harvey allowed two earned runs or fewer five times and three earned runs once.
The one-time Mets ace also is giving stability to a youth-dominated Reds starting pitching staff that right-hander Homer Bailey was supposed to provide before he was sent down to the minors to get healthy and straightened out after starting 1-7.
The Reds and Harvey's agent, Scott Boras, held some preliminary discussions about what it would cost to bring back the 29-year-old right-hander next season. But it's likely the asking price will be too much for Cincinnati given Harvey's struggles in recent seasons -- he was a combined 9-17 in 2016 and 2017 -- and the fact the Reds are in a decided rebuilding mode.
There is a sense of urgency for the Reds to make a move with Harvey. Because they acquired him by trade after the season began, they wouldn't be compensated if he pitched the rest of the season with them and then signed elsewhere.
"No matter where you are or where you want to be, this is a business,' Harvey said. "Whatever is decided, my job is to go out and do everything I can to help the team win."
But Harvey certainly seems to like pitching for Cincinnati -- and in Cincinnati. He's 5-1 with a 4.10 career ERA in seven career starts at Great American Ball Park. He's also 7-3 with a 2.86 ERA in 12 career starts against the Phillies, last facing them April 3. Then with the Mets, he gave up only one hit in five scoreless innings in a 2-0 New York victory.
The Reds were 8-27 before acquiring Harvey for catcher Devin Mesoroco on May 8 and 38-31 since then, beating the Phillies 6-4 on Friday for their first win in five games against them this season.
Outfielder Mason Williams -- starting his first game for the Reds -- hit his second homer in the majors and his first since 2015 with the New York Yankees, a three-run drive, and Eugenio Suarez homered for the fifth consecutive game to tie a team record.
Williams was called up after outfielder Jesse Winker injured a shoulder and was lost for the season.
"They said, 'We need you tonight,' so I made the trip," said Williams, who was playing at Triple-A Louisville. "It's great. I was here to help the team any way I can, defensively or offensively. ... The game is the same whether you're in Triple-A or Double A (or the majors), I've got to play my game and play hard."
Velasquez (7-8) has never faced the Reds. He's coming off two consecutive scoreless starts that helped lower his ERA to 4.05, shutting out the San Diego Padres on two hits for seven innings Sunday and the Mets on two hits in six innings on July 11. He also got the win as the Phillies beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-4 on Tuesday, pitching a scoreless 16th inning only two days after starting.
"Part of the reason he's pitching deep into games, part of the reason he's really healthy this deep into the season, part of the reason we feel confident pushing him in more innings in the second half, is because of the work that he does to prepare himself to get ready to play baseball," Phillies manager Gabe Kapler told reporters after his last start. "It's been off-the-charts good."
One night after tying a club record with seven home runs, the Phillies hit only one Friday, by Odubel Herrera, as four Reds relievers limited them to one run in the final 4 2/3 innings.
