Tim Kurkjian discusses the lingering swelling in Matt Harvey's right triceps and how the Mets should approach Harvey's Game 5 start. (0:47)

CHICAGO -- New York Mets manager Terry Collins expressed concern about lingering swelling in Matt Harvey's right triceps and suggested that Bartolo Colon or Jonathon Niese might be needed to start for him in Game 5 on Thursday.

Harvey was struck with a line drive off the bat of Dexter Fowler in the sixth inning of Saturday's opener against the Chicago Cubs. Harvey ultimately completed 7 ⅔ innings in the Mets' 4-2 win, but he described his arm as "dented" by Fowler's shot.

Despite the swelling, Harvey remains scheduled to start Game 5 of the National League Championship Series.

"He's pretty sore and pretty swelled up," Collins said before the Mets' optional workout at Wrigley Field late Monday afternoon. "He, as we sit here today, is a go. But that could certainly change in next couple of days. ... I was pretty surprised at how swelled up it was yesterday. So we certainly are going to keep a really close eye on it the next couple of days."

Harvey, who is 2-0 with a 2.84 ERA in two postseason starts, lightly tossed a baseball in the outfield at Wrigley Field on Monday.

Pitching coach Dan Warthen said there was no doubt that Harvey would start Game 5.

"I don't foresee any problem with Matt going out there and pitching," Warthen said. "He just came out to throw. A lot of guys hate to have a day off, so a lot of players will come in on a day off and just play catch. Nothing more than that.

"He's doing his treatment. The doctors looked at it yesterday. He was in great shape. He's in great spirits. Actually, it might have been better when he pitched [Saturday], because it kept it stretched out, instead of putting ice on it and contracting it right away. It might have been beneficial that he was able to continue to throw and keep that thing stretched out."

Matt Harvey is dealing with the effects of being hit by a line drive in Game 1, but the Mets hope it won't affect his availability for Game 5. Elsa/Getty Images

Harvey has logged 202 innings in his first season back from Tommy John surgery. That is the fifth most in a first season back from the ligament-replacement procedure. John Lackey tossed a record 215 ⅓ innings in 2013.

"Any time you have swelling, it leads to stiffness," Collins said. "So as stiff as he was yesterday, we're going to be careful. ... I think the big time will be tomorrow, because that would be a day that he wants to throw [off a mound] anyway, so we'll have to make our judgments how he feels after tomorrow."

Colon and Niese made a combined 60 starts for the Mets during the regular season. But with the Mets boasting young flamethrowers Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Harvey and Steven Matz, the veteran pair has been reassigned to the bullpen for the postseason. Colon had three effective relief appearances in the division series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, while Niese has struck out both batters he has faced.

"We obviously have alternatives with Bartolo and Jon," Collins said. "So if we need to put a spot starter in there, we certainly have them."

Niese is due to rejoin the Mets near game time on Tuesday. He will attend his grandmother's funeral early Tuesday afternoon in his native Ohio and then drive roughly four hours to Chicago.