Matz Latest Setback For Mets

 

By Rich Mancuso/Sports Editor

Steven Matz is hurt again and that won’t impact the Mets chances as they are finishing out the string. But this latest injury to the New York Mets lefthander is just another blow to a starting rotation that has has its share of injuries and turmoils in a season the Mets want to forget.

In a Mets season of gloom and doom this followed the script and similar to Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard, it was said that Matz never complained. After the Mets latest 3-2 loss Monday night in 10-innings at Citi Field to the Arizona Diamondbacks, it became official. Matz will be shut down and require season ending surgery to rid the irritation of the ulnar nerve to his left elbow.

He had an MRI Monday and his struggles can be attributed to his latest injury that will hopefully get the promising lefthander back to par when the Mets convene for spring training next February.

Matz was frustrated, and he should be. There was speculation as to why the command was not there and after 3-½ innings and giving up six earned runs in a Mets loss to the Yankees last week. Manager Terry Collins said there would be decisions made as to how Matz could return to form.

The 26-year old was 2-7 with a 6.08 ERA in 13 starts as was on the disabled list with left elbow problems and returned in June.  But a 0-6 record and 10.19 ERA over his last eight starts also painted a picture that something was not right.

“It’s tough,” Matz said after the Mets latest loss. “But I talked to some guys who have had this procedure done before and they came back feeling good and it solved their problems. i’m happy that there’s an answer to it.”

And that’s what manager Terry Collins said. “Hope this an an answer for Steven Matz to feel better next year.” Matz will undergo the surgical procedure in the next few days, the same one that cut the season short to righthander Jacob deGrom last September.

Erik Goedell primarily used in relief for the Mets also went through the procedure. So Matz feels confident and also said at no time did he feel numbness or experience severe pain. Though he also said that the elbow was causing some discomfort since spring training back in March.

There is that question again, and too often, what has happened to a starting rotation that two years ago was the best in baseball and since has become an injury ward at Citi Field?

What matters most is that the Mets have a healthy Steven Matz that reports to Port St. Lucie Florida next February. That, he along with Matt Harvey and Noah Syndergaard are back to par and joined by Zach Wheeler again. However, this has become such a tender and recurring issue with the Mets pitching situation and one will never know.

“You can never have enough starting pitching,” said Collins. ‘This just tells you that anything can happen in any given time. There are no guarantees.” And for the Mets who have been in this position more than once, they know how to cope with this latest adversity.

How healthy will their promising young pitching will be again and when will this core, with Matz ever be the way they were? That is the question the Mets face with another to the long list of woes that made this season the disappointing one it was.

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