LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — When Matt Harvey made his spring debut last year, it was an event. Tradition Field filled for the exhibition home opener and media from outlets across the country gathered in Port St. Lucie.
A great artist was back from hiatus. Harvey shined for two innings — the first signal that his Tommy John surgery and rehab were successes, and that he would soon be one of the majors’ best pitchers again.
In many ways, however, the triumph of his 2015 season was fully expressed Tuesday, when Harvey’s first spring start of 2016 fell way short of an event.