Ex-Mets star Matt Harvey announces retirement from baseball: ‘Thank you, and goodbye’

NEW YORK — The Dark Knight is dropping the curtain on his baseball career.

Matt Harvey, who rose to superhero heights with the Mets early in his career before the bright lights faded, announced Friday in an Instagram post that he is retiring from the game.

Harvey’s emotional farewell post featured a photo of the right-hander in a Mets uniform from his magical 2013 season.

“A game I will always remember,” Harvey wrote about April 19, 2013, when he hurled seven innings in a 7-1 win over the Washington Nationals at Citi Field opposite Stephen Strasburg.

“I haven’t gone back to really feel or relive some of the highest moments pitching in the big league, especially for the New York Mets. But this particular game hits me extremely hard, making this a difficult thing to write.

“I pitched to win,” Harvey, who has not pitched in the big leagues since the 2021 season with the Baltimore Orioles, wrote in his social media post. “To fire up my team and more importantly, to fire up the fans in a city that I’ve always loved.”

“It is one of those feelings you know will never go away. It’s something that will last forever. ...”

“That day will forever stay in my dreams. I know I pitched well and we were on our way to a win, and as I’m sitting in the dugout, all I hear is the chants overtaking Citi Field.

“Harvey’s Better.”

Harvey, 34, earned his only All-Star nod that season with the Mets and was the starting pitcher for the National League in the Midsummer Classic played at Citi Field. He finished the season with a 2.27 ERA and 191 strikeouts in 178 1/3 innings and finished fourth in Cy Young balloting.

A ligament tear cut short his season and then after missing the entire ‘14 campaign after Tommy John surgery he returned to the Mets in 2015 as the Amazin’s went on a surprise run to the NL pennant and a date with the Kansas City Royals in the World Series.

Harvey was lights out during the playoff run as he never allowed more than three earned runs in his four starts and was shutting out the Royals in Game 5 before Terry Collins sent him back out for the ninth inning nursing a 2-0 lead. Kansas City would tie up the game and then win the game — and the title — in the 12th.

“Harvey was nasty tonight; he was dirty,” Royals’ Eric Hosmer said that night.

His second major injury in 2016 — Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS) — effectively ended his star turn in the Big Apple. He pitched his last game for the Mets on May 3, 2018.

After leaving New York, Harvey bounced around from the Cincinnati Reds, L.A. Angels and Royals, before his final big league shot with the Orioles in 2021. He went 6-14 in Baltimore with a 6.27 ERA in 127.2 innings.

Harvey served a 60-game drug ban to start the 2022 campaign and then became a free agent after the season.

“With all the amazing memories came a lot of injuries and tough times,” Harvey added.

The tough times included admitting to partying with cocaine while in New York and sharing Percocets with Tyler Skaggs in the Angels’ clubhouse.

Harvey’s drug admission came in February 2022 during the trial of ex-Angels communications boss Eric Kay. Kay was found guilty in a Texas courtroom of providing the drugs that led to Skaggs’ overdose death on July 1, 2019.

The ex-Mets pitcher was granted immunity in exchange for his cooperation, ESPN reported at the time. Harvey was one of four players who admitted receiving opioids from Kay while playing for the Angels.

“No one really asked,” Harvey testified, per ESPN, about his cocaine use while with the Mets, during the explosive trial.

“The realization that those amazingly powerful moments that make me 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 amazing moments back to life.

“I have to say this is my time to say thank you, and goodbye.”

Ex-Mets catcher Travis D’Arnaud commented on Harvey’s post: “Love you brother.”

“Honored to be able to share the field with you and share our many memories together.”