Reds' Matt Harvey Open to Signing with Every Team but Mets Ahead of Free Agency

As Cincinnati Reds pitcher Matt Harvey heads into free agency this offseason, he is keeping his options open.

Well, most of his options.

"There's only one team out there I would not sign with," Harvey said Tuesday, per MLB.com's Mark Sheldon. "That's about it."

Harvey, of course, is alluding to the New York Mets.

After New York took him with the seventh overall pick in 2010, he quickly became viewed as a future ace. The Dark Knight debuted in 2012, posting a sub-3.00 ERA in each of his first two-plus seasons. In his first full season in 2013, he made the All-Star team and finished fourth in National League Cy Young voting.

Harvey also helped the Mets reach the 2015 World Series. That run will always be remembered for the right-hander lobbying his way into staying in Game 5 after throwing eight dominant innings:

That decision backfired, as he couldn't close things out in the ninth. The Kansas City Royals went on to win in extra innings to capture their first World Series title since 1985.

Neither Harvey nor the Mets have been the same since.

Injuries took their toll on Harvey through the years (and the Mets in general), and he has not posted an ERA below 4.86 since 2015. He was designated for assignment in May before being traded to Cincinnati. He showed glimpses of his old form with the Reds, although the overall numbers may not show it: 7-7, 4.50 ERA in 24 starts, 111 strikeouts in 128 innings. 

As his name came up in trade rumors during the summer, Harvey let it be known he wanted to remain in Cincinnati. He said the same recently.

"[The Reds] brought me here, and they gave me the ball every fifth day," he said. "So it was something I'm very happy about and taking into consideration, and we'll see what happens moving forward."

Before Harvey was dealt to Cincinnati, there were questions about his clubhouse presence and off-field behavior. Neither proved to be an issue with the Reds, leaving the pitching-needy organization possibly interested in a reunion.

"We definitely will stack Matt up against the available options," President of Baseball Operations Dick Williams said Tuesday. "The fact that he's been here and we've seen how he interacts with our coaches and our players will certainly work in his favor.

"Everybody's been favorably impressed. And we know that pitching is a priority going forward. All our pro scouting staff is in town, and we are currently discussing every free-agent player, starting with pitching. We'll also be talking about trade targets. There's a lot of possibilities."

Harvey, 29, was once expected to earn a major payday when he hit free agency. That won't happen now.