‘You made a dream come true for me’: Pitcher Matt Harvey announces retirement after nine-year MLB career, as ex-Mets ace thanks New York fans
- Matt Harvey played for the Mets and helped them to the 2015 World Series
- But he struggled to reach the same level after he left New York before retiring
- DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
Pitcher Matt Harvey, best known for his time with the Mets from 2012-2018, announced his retirement on Friday, thanking New York fans who cheered him on at Citi Field.
Harvey was an All-Star in 2013 and helped lead the team to a World Series trip two years later.
And while he would go on to play for the Reds, Angels, Royals and Orioles before calling it a career, the greatest moments of his career came in New York.
“To the fans, and especially the NY Mets fans, you made a dream come true for me,” he continued. Instagram.
“A dream I could never have imagined to be true. Who would have thought that a kid from Mystic, CT could play in the greatest city in the world, his hometown. You are forever anchored in my heart.
Matt Harvey played for the Mets from 2012 to 2018 and placed fourth in the 2013 Cy Young ballot
Harvey attends Apple Original Films’ ‘Ghosted’ New York Premiere at New York’s AMC Lincoln Square Theater
After Harvey’s strong 2015 season—which came after recovering from Tommy John surgery—he struggled, posting a 5.92 ERA over the next six seasons of his career.
“With all the great memories came a lot of injuries and hard times. The realization that those incredibly powerful moments that allow me to thrive as a pitcher and help my teammates and city win are no longer possible.
“Believe me, I wish I could have done more and brought more of those great moments back to life. I must say this is my time to thank you and goodbye.’
The 34-year-old last appeared in the MLB in 2021 and was serving a 60-game suspension at the start of the 2022 season for distributing a banned drug in violation of the MLB drug program.
That rashness came during his time with the Angels, as Harvey later admitted in court to giving former teammate Tyler Skaggs Percocet pills he found in his possession the day he died in 2019.
Harvey played twice for Italy this year in the World Baseball Classic.