Ex-Mets manager Collins: Harvey 'got caught up on stuff off the field'

Former New York Mets manager Terry Collins says he was "very disappointed, but not shocked" to hear that Matt Harvey used drugs during his career.

"I think Matt got caught up on stuff off the field. ... There's no question, his off-the-field stuff hurt him a lot," Collins said Tuesday on Baseball Night in New York.

Harvey was one of four players who testified Tuesday that former Los Angeles Angels employee Eric Kay gave them oxycodone pills. Kay is accused of providing former Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs with the drugs that led to his 2019 death.

During his testimony, Harvey acknowledged being a cocaine user before and during his time with the Angels in 2019.

"There was a lot of speculation when Matt was in New York from guys who were around him that he was on something," Collins said.

In 2017, the Mets suspended Harvey for three games after he didn't show up for a game. The pitcher didn't arrive because of a migraine and later admitted to being out past curfew the night before. A separate report from the New York Post said Harvey was out partying until 4 a.m. before playing golf in the morning.

Collins, who coached the Mets to a 2015 World Series appearance while Harvey was still on top of his game, said the team sent the right-hander to a "professional psychologist on staff" to get the pitcher help during his time in New York.

"It was out that there was issues (with Harvey), but we did what we thought we had to do to try to get him some help, and obviously Matt's got to be accountable for his actions," Collins said.

Harvey pitched six seasons with the Mets before they traded him to the Cincinnati Reds in 2018.