» More Ernie Palladino Columns
It’s hard to call any game in May a make-or-break deal.
But Matt Harvey’s start Tuesday in Washington comes awfully close. As much from a mental as physical standpoint, Harvey needs to pull himself out of the horrendous rut he’s in with a good, solid outing against the team that rocked him for nine runs in 2 2/3 innings last Thursday.
It’s just where he’s at right now, and that place goes far beyond the 3-6, 5.77 numbers he’s put up in nine starts this year. In the course of the last two starts in which he has allowed 14 runs and 19 hits, he has turned from a pitcher fighting through early-season struggles to a team-wide worry.