Matt Harvey all set to face batters on Friday

Matt Harvey will be facing batters for the first time in 16 months on Friday, according to Adam Rubin of ESPN New York.

Harvey, who has been rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, is all ready to throw batting practice to the Mets. The only caveat being that those hitters possibly won't actually be swinging at his pitches. Nonetheless, this is a big step for the Mets ace, who has been throwing every other day since the Mets began camp.

After his bullpen session on Sunday, Harvey told the media, "The main thing is really just focusing on the timing of things, Obviously we’re still a couple of weeks away from game situations. So really getting a hitter in there is just getting the view of having somebody in the box again and getting used to that again."

Harvey last pitched on Tuesday and will not throw again until Friday as the Mets intend to give him an extra day before the batting practice session. So, instead of pitching on Wednesday, Harvey and the other Mets pitchers practiced some hitting of their own.

Matt Harvey has not faced live batters since mid-August of 2013. Terry Collins has not yet named who will be New York's Opening Day starter, although Harvey has made it clear that he wants to be on the mound when the Mets take on the Nationals to kick off the season.