Dodgers’ Justin Turner certain Matt Harvey would pitch in postseason

In Justin Turner’s mind, there is no doubt.

If the Dodgers play the New York Mets in the opening round of the playoffs, the third baseman said, they will have to face Matt Harvey.

“Knowing Matt the way I know him, there’s no way in hell he’s not going to take the ball in the playoffs,” Turner said.

Turner was Harvey’s teammate on the Mets for two seasons.

Turner became close with the former All-Star, who has pitched 166 1/3 innings in his first season after undergoing Tommy John elbow surgery. Harvey’s agent and team are now engaged in a public debate about whether the right-hander should be limited to 180 innings this season.

Harvey was noncommittal when speaking to reporters Saturday in New York.

The final decision could impact the Dodgers, who are currently in position to take on the Mets in a National League division series.

Turner raised the example of Stephen Strasburg of the Washington Nationals. Strasburg, who like Harvey is represented by Scott Boras, didn’t pitch in the 2012 playoffs under similar conditions. The Nationals, who were considered World Series contenders, were eliminated in the first round.

“I don’t think you can take postseason for granted,” Turner said.

The Nationals missed the playoffs the following season. They reached the postseason last year, only to be eliminated again in the first round.

“I think if you ask any guy in here what they want to do, they’re going to say, ‘The reason I’ve played this game my whole life is to try to win a World Series,’” Turner said. “From my experience with Matt and what I know of him, I don’t think he has it in him to be able to sit back and watch his teammates compete in the playoffs while he’s on the sidelines.”

Turner said he understands why Boras is advocating for the Mets to handle Harvey with care.

“Obviously, his agent is trying to have his best interests,” Turner said.

Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly has also followed the controversy with some interest.

“It’s interesting from the standpoint of an agent telling you what you should do with a guy,” Mattingly said.

Mattingly declined to offer an opinion on the subject.

“I try to stay out of everybody else’s business, but it has been interesting to watch,” Mattingly said. “You wonder if it’s going to have an effect on the team, all that kind of stuff. It will be interesting to see how it plays out.”