The Yankees should avoid Matt Harvey at all costs

On Friday the Mets announced that Matt Harvey would be designated for assignment after he refused to accept a minor league assignment. Since the move was made rumors have swirled about the possibility of the Yankees having interest in the former All-Star. Here’s why that would be a terrible idea.

It’s no secret that growing up in Connecticut Harvey was a die-hard Yankees fan and during his time with the Mets, there was always thought that one day he would wear the pinstripes. When has was at his best starting All-Star games and leading his team to the World Series it made sense that once he became a free agent the Yankees would top his list of preferred destinations.

Unfortunately for Harvey and the Mets, serious injuries combined with a poor attitude have completely destroyed what was once a very promising career. Now only a month into the season he is out of a job looking for work in the last season of his contract before he becomes a free agent for the first time in his career.

Now I understand why fans and analysts are connecting Harvey to the Yankees, but by no means should Brian Cashman and company consider making a move to acquire “The Dark Knight.”

First of all the Yankees continue to be the hottest team in baseball after sweeping the Indians on Sunday in thrilling comeback fashion thanks to Gleyber Torres’ walk-off home run. Right now this team can do no wrong winning 15 out of their last 16 to put them at 24-10 on the season and a game behind the first place Red Sox.

Domingo German started for the Yanks and shut down the Indians for six no-hit innings in what was his first career major league start. German was outstanding and deserves the opportunity to become a mainstay in the rotation while Jordan Montgomery recovers from injury for the next six to eight weeks.

There isn’t a fit at all

With German now in the rotation that leaves no opening for someone like Harvey to join. Even if there was a spot why would it go to Harvey? All season he’s been awful and was deservedly kicked out of the Met’s rotation because of it. He went to the bullpen to figure things out, but he continued to struggle mightily and upon his designation, he had an ERA of 7.00 with an opponent batting average of .303.

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German is the better pitcher right now with much more upside moving forward than Harvey. The best could be yet to come for the Yankees young right-hander while Harvey’s best days are clearly behind him. Cashman is far too smart to consider taking a chance on Harvey and even if he was there is no way he could justify bringing him into the Yankees starting rotation.

If he wanted to sign Harvey to eat up innings as a mop-up guy in the bullpen that would be one thing, but we just saw him fail in that role with the Mets. If anything they could sign him to a minor league deal and let him join the rotation with Triple-A Scranton. Although it seems like Harvey has no interest in pitching in the minor leagues.

Because of his desire to always be a Yankee maybe he would consider giving that a shot. However, even then the odds of him joining the Yankees big league rotation at some point this season are slim to none.

Outside of his struggles on the mound, the main reason why the Yanks should avoid Harvey at all costs is that he would be too much of a distraction. As I said before the Yankees are on fire right now and the last thing they need is a polarizing figure like Harvey in their clubhouse.

He would make all the headlines for all the wrong reasons and would provide more distractions off the field than production on it. When a team is playing this well you don’t want anything messing with their mojo. Whether it would be through his own fault or the New York media’s Harvey’s presence would be a bad optic in this current Yankee climate.

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Personally, I’m not a Matt Harvey hater and I think it’s a shame how much he has fallen in recent years. He deserves another opportunity to pitch in a big league rotation and I hope he gets his shot.

There’s just no way that opportunity should come with the Yankees.