According to ESPN's Adam Rubin, Matt Harvey's agent Scott Boras says that the New York Mets ace has opted to treat his thoracic outlet syndrome with surgery and it will keep him out for the remainder of the year. Harvey first complained of neck and shoulder pain, along with numbness, after his start on Monday, telling manager Terry Collins after the game that his shoulder "was dead, his arm was dead … and that he couldn't feel the ball." Harvey was subsequently placed on the disabled list and sent to St. Louis for an evaluation by Dr. Robert Thompson, the vascular specialist who will now perform his surgery.Here's more from Rubin:"The doctors clearly recommended that he have this done, mainly so that he can be ready for '17," Boras said. "The rehab on this is six months. Now, if there was a small window of a season, you might be able to take a shot. It's actually Botox, which relaxes the muscles. That's not a long-term solution."The only way this is going to be treated appropriately -- and obviously we don't want to do anything to affect next year -- is to get this surgically taken care of."The procedure involves removing a rib to alleviate a nerve impingement in his right shoulder. Removing the rib will create more space and reduce compression on the nerve near the muscles in his shoulders and neck. There was some thought Harvey might be able to get by with a non-surgical option, but as Boras mentioned it would be temporary, and not guaranteed to work.Harvey returned last year from Tommy John surgery and pitched 216 innings—the most any pitcher has after returning from the procedure—and yet found himself involved in a mini-controversy when his innings limit coincided with the Mets' playoff run. He has struggled this season.Neither Harvey nor the team have confirmed the news as of yet.
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