Steven Matz

NL Notes: Wright, deGrom, Matz, Kang, Padres Prospects

By Jeff Todd | September 14, 2016 at 12:46pm CDT

A trip to the doctor resulted in generally positive news for Mets third baseman David Wright, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag reports. Wright’s surgically-repaired neck is said to be healing as hoped, though Wright will not even be able to do full-scale workouts until next spring. Still, it seems that he and the team have reason to hope that he’ll be able to attempt a comeback for 2017.

Meanwhile, the Mets are considering an interesting way of working injured starters Jacob deGrom and Steven Matz back into the major league mix, as MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo was among those to report. If both are ready to pitch, but not handle a full starter’s workload, then the pair could work in tandem in a single outing, skipper Terry Collins suggested. With wins at a premium, that ought to represent a potent one-two punch, especially since the righty/lefty combo would be hard to match up against.
It doesn’t appear as if the investigation into sexual assault allegations against Pirates infielder Jung Ho Kang is progressing much, as Andrew Goldstein of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. The Chicago police who are looking into the claims say that they are not having success in making contact with the woman who says she was assaulted by the Korean star. At this time, though, it appears that it still remains an open matter. The police “are seeking clarification on several items to corroborate the allegations made,” police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has stated that the league will not take action on the matter until the investigation has progressed.
Four significant Padres prospects have notably yet to receive major league promotions this year, as Jason Martinez of MLBTR and Roster Resource recently explored. The organization has preferred to keep those players together for the Triple-A playoffs, MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell writes, with manager Andy Green saying that more call-ups are expected once the PCL campaign has wrapped up. Catcher Austin Hedges seems to be an easy call now that a promotion won’t cost the team a year of control, as he’s already on the 40-man and the team just lost Christian Bethancourt. Manuel Margot is also on the 40-man, but the team may wish to watch his service time. Meanwhile, a bump for outfielder Hunter Renfroe and/or infielder Carlos Asuaje could make sense since both need roster spots this winter for Rule 5 protection.

Mets Injury Updates: Matz, deGrom, Lagares, Duda

By Jeff Todd | September 9, 2016 at 8:42pm CDT

Though GM Sandy Alderson declined to provide further details on the Mets’ long list of injured players, today was rather a promising day for the club’s general health. New York entered play today in Wild Card position, but still faces a tough fight to reach and advance in the postseason, so every source of help will be most welcome. MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo was among those to report on the progress:

Southpaw Steven Matz is prepared for his first throws from a mound since he hit the DL with a shoulder problem. Matz will take the bump tomorrow in an effort to ramp back up, which represents progress since the last time we checked in on him. Already pitching through bone spurs in his elbow, the shoulder troubles seemingly represented a more significant concern, but all indications are that the joint is structurally sound.
Righty Jacob deGrom, meanwhile, was able to throw on flat ground today for the first time since he was shut down with forearm soreness. He, too, is said to be battling inflammation but not a more significant underlying injury. It seems deGrom may be a bit behind Matz, but both could conceivably return to the Mets’ rotation within the next several weeks.
Outfielder Juan Lagares is ready to swing a bat, which represents forward progress from his thumb surgery recovery. But the team is preparing to “push” Lagares forward before he’s ready to hit at the major league level, per skipper Terry Collins, with a view to utilizing him as a defensive replacement and pinch runner down the stretch.
The Mets’ most surprising news, perhaps, is that first bagger Lucas Duda is preparing for a live BP session. He has missed much of the year with a stress fracture in his lower back and has seemed at various times to be unlikely to return in 2016. But that could be the prelude to a late-season return for the slugger, who could provide a big boost to the New York lineup if he’s able to return even for part-time duty. His recovery may also bear upon the team’s decision whether to tender him a contract this fall.

Latest On Neil Walker, Steven Matz Injuries

By Jeff Todd | August 30, 2016 at 3:49pm CDT

The Mets revealed a double dose of negative injury news today, with manager Terry Collins updating the health of second baseman Neil Walker and lefty Steven Matz.

Walker, it seems, has a fairly significant back issue that will need to be carefully managed for the rest of the season, Collins told reporters including Marc Carig of Newsday (via Twitter). The skipper declined to specify the precise issue, but suggested both that Walker will need regular time off and that it’s a matter of at least some long-term concern (via Mike Puma of the New York Post, on Twitter).

That’s pretty awful news both for the club and for Walker, who is a free agent after the season. The 30-year-old has been excellent in New York, slashing .282/.347/.476 over 458 plate appearances, and seemed primed to receive and decline a qualifying offer en route to a nice free agent payday. Instead, there’s now serious (albeit still largely-unknown) concern about his condition.

It’s a similar story with regard to Matz, who has suffered a setback in his effort to work back from shoulder issues. The problem isn’t believed to be a structural issue or major long-term issue, but Collins acknowledges that he’s concerned the young southpaw won’t be able to return in 2016, as MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo tweets.

The 25-year-old Matz has been excellent when healthy, pitching to a 3.16 ERA over 168 frames since reaching the majors last year. But he has battled through lat, elbow, and shoulder issues already in his brief MLB career.

Steven Matz Headed To Disabled List With Shoulder Tightness

By Steve Adams | August 22, 2016 at 2:45pm CDT

2:45pm: Matz will placed on the disabled list, retroactive to Aug. 15, with tightness in his left shoulder, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

AUG. 22, 1:09pm: Matz has been diagnosed with a “mild” strain and some inflammation of the rotator cuff in his left shoulder, but doctors found no structural damage, reports Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports. There’s no word yet on whether he’ll require a stint on the disabled list, however, and the Mets have yet to formally announce the test results.

AUG. 19: Mets left-hander Steven Matz has been scratched from tonight’s start due to discomfort in his left shoulder, as Newsday’s Marc Carig writes. The New York Post’s Mike Puma writes that he’s likely to be examined on Monday in New York.

Matz stated that what he’s experiencing is “just discomfort” and said he’s not too worried about the issue, but there’s obviously at least some cause for concern for both Matz and the team. Matz, of course, has been pitching through a bone spur in his left elbow, and while Carig writes that neither the team nor Citi Field’s Trackman software has detected any mechanical changes to his delivery due to the spur, there’s still no immediate way of knowing whether the elbow ailment has contributed to his newfound shoulder troubles. Matz first felt the discomfort when throwing off flat ground earlier this week and didn’t feel improvement when throwing prior to yesterday’s game.

Alderson On Matz, Syndergaard, Duda, Gurriel, Reyes

By Steve Adams | June 28, 2016 at 4:12pm CDT

Mets general manager Sandy Alderson met with the media in New York today to address a number of topics, including health updates on starters Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz, each of whom was reported to have a bone spur in his pitching elbow yesterday. Per Newsday’s Marc Carig (links to Twitter), Alderson said that club doctors aren’t worried about the spur in Syndergaard’s right elbow becoming worse, and the New York Post’s Mike Puma tweets that Syndergaard’s spur is much smaller than the spur in Matz’s elbow. Accordingly, the outlook on Matz was painted a bit more grimly, with Alderson somewhat stating, “He’ll either pitch and be able to tolerate the discomfort, or he won’t.” As Puma tweets, surgery to remove the spur would sideline Matz for three months, so he’ll look to continue pitching for the time being.

Matz won’t need to be skipped on a regular basis, though, tweets ESPN New York’s Adam Rubin. However, the team might eventually move to a six-man rotation. Presumably, said mix would include right-hander Zack Wheeler, though Alderson said that while he’ll soon have a new projection for Wheeler’s return, he does not have a new one at this tme (via Carig). Logan Verrett is another option to get some starts, and he’ll take the hill Wednesday in place of Matz, as Matz will be bumped back to Thursday, per Rubin.

The rotation, of course, is far from the only area in which the Mets are dealing with injuries. First baseman Lucas Duda hasn’t suited up for a game since May 20 due to a stress fracture in his back, and he’s still at least two weeks away from even resuming baseball activities (Twitter link via MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo). As such, the earliest possible return date for Duda would seem to be August.

Looking across the diamond, David Wright’s season could very well be over following neck surgery, and Alderson confirmed that the club worked out Cuban star Yulieski Gurriel, who could seemingly step in as an eventual alternative to the Mets’ longtime captain. Gurriel didn’t face live pitching in his workout, but he did run “fairly well,” per Alderson, and he also took batting practice and worked out in the field at both third base and second base (links to Carig on Twitter). They’re still weighing whether to make an offer, DiComo tweets, and it should be stressed that Gurriel is by no means an immediate replacement; it’s been months since Gurriel saw regular action in a game setting, and as such he’d need to spend a month ramping up in the minor leagues, in the Mets’ estimation.

In the meantime, the Mets have enlisted a different infield alternative by bringing Jose Reyes back to Queens on a minor league deal. He’s working exclusively at third base in the minors, according to Alderson, but upon his promotion to the big leagues he’ll begin working out in the outfield as well (via Rubin). The addition of Reyes doesn’t in any way preclude the team from signing Gurriel as well, Carig notes. Of course, the Mets will have to deal with a number of other clubs should they elect to make a serious run at Gurriel. He’s reportedly worked out for the heavy-spending Dodgers already, and he’s also been connected to the likes of the Astros, Giants and Yankees in recent weeks since being declared a free agent by MLB.

Steven Matz, Noah Syndergaard Both Pitching With Bone Spurs

By Jeff Todd | June 27, 2016 at 11:01pm CDT

10:49pm: Noah Syndergaard is also pitching with a spur in his right elbow, Ackert reports. Though he denied that in his comments after his start tonight, multiple other reports suggest that it is indeed an issue, and Mike Puma of the New York Post tweets that the club is not acknowledging the spur at the pitcher’s preference.

Though Syndergaard was working in the triple digits in his outing against the Nationals, he seemed to be struggling with control. The big righty ultimately departed after just three innings of work having allowed a season-high five earned runs and three walks.

Syndergaard recently experienced discomfort that led to an MRI, but was given a clean bill of health. As with Matz, it seems that the spur is mostly a matter of tolerating pain and avoiding changes to mechanics that could lead to broader problems.

It’s important to emphasize that bone spurs are fairly common and aren’t necessarily major concerns if they do not cause ligament issues. And there’s no indication in his case that surgery is on the table at the moment in Syndergaard’s case. Ackert does note that the expectation is that both pitchers will ultimately require procedures — with hopes that they can be delayed until the season is over.

As for Matz, he has been battling through the issue for over a month and has been treated with a cortisone shot at some point, Jon Heyman of todaysknuckleball.com writes. The spur is “not small” and is quite painful, and Heyman suggests that there’s at least some concern that continuing to pitch through it could contribute to a more serious injury. Matz himself is said to be uncertain at this time whether to elect surgery.

4:43pm: Mets southpaw Steven Matz has been diagnosed with a bone spur in his pitching elbow, as Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News reports on Twitter. The club is not only considering whether or not he’ll make his next start, but is assessing whether a surgical option will be pursued, per Marc Carig of Newsday (Twitter link).

GM Sandy Alderson will participate in a meeting to work through the options, per Carig’s report. The possibility of a procedure is just that at present, as no decisions have been made, but it appears to be very much on the table. While there’s no concern that pitching through the pain would lead to injury, at least directly, the club is said to be concerned that the pain has impacted his performance. Ackert notes that an operation after the season is also a possibility.

In the event that Matz does go under the knife in the near-term, Carig tweets, it would likely be six weeks before he is even able to begin throwing. He’d surely require a throwing program and rehab assignment from that point forward. While a precise timeline is difficult to guess, it could certainly represent a lengthy absence.

Matz had bounced back from a rough first start to post a long string of excellent outings — nine straight, in fact, in which he did not allow more than two earned runs. But things have been somewhat uneven in his three most recent starts, and his last effort set off some alarm bells. Matz not only allowed six earned runs, but failed to record a single strikeout in 4 1/3 innings. Glancing through the excellent Brooks Baseball database, it seems that Matz’s vertical release has dropped over the course of the season, though it’s unclear whether that’s connected at all.

This news represents another red flag for a Mets pitching staff that remains one of the game’s best. But heavy usage last season has, perhaps, shown up in several areas. Jacob deGrom isn’t throwing as hard, Noah Syndergaard has had a balky elbow, and Matt Harvey just hasn’t been his dominant self. The results are still excellent, on the whole, and it surely doesn’t hurt that Bartolo Colon has been magnificent while Zack Wheeler remains on the comeback trail (though the latter has been slowed of late). At the same time, there’s certainly some cause for concern with Matz, in particular — all the more so given that he dealt with lat issues in 2015.

NL East Notes: Baker, Matz, Paredes, Altherr

By Steve Adams and Jeff Todd | May 16, 2016 at 9:47pm CDT

Nationals manager Dusty Baker is known as a motivator more than as an in-game tactician, but James Wagner of the Washington Post suggests that the veteran skipper may be under-sold in the game management department. Numerous players say that they are believers in the way that Baker has operated, and he has managed to coax plenty of quality innings from his rotation while making situational use of his pen. Baker also chatted with MLB.com’s Bill Ladson about his first six weeks at the helm of the division-leading Nats. He says he’s pleased with the construction of the ballclub and intends to remain steady with the approach that has worked for the team out of the gates. Baker praised GM Mike Rizzo for his work and said their relationship has been very positive thus far.

Pitching Notes: Arrieta, Matz, Strasburg, Bailey, Royals

By Steve Adams | May 11, 2016 at 10:26pm CDT

On a night when Max Scherzer turned in one of the most dominant starts in history, striking out 20 Tigers batters (video link) to tie a Major League record, here are a few notes on pitcher contracts and injuries…

Cubs ace Jake Arrieta won’t offer the team a discount in extension talks, he told reporters, including ESPN Chicago’s Jesse Rogers. According to previous reports, the Cubs have been hesitant to commit to anything greater than a four-year term, and that length clearly isn’t of interest to the 30-year-old reigning Cy Young winner. “Aces get seven years,” Arrieta candidly said in the interview. Asked what he felt his market to be, Arrieta declined to answer directly, instead telling reporters: “I’ll let you judge that. Just look at the numbers.” Arrieta again emphasized that his preference is to remain with the Cubs but that being compensated at the same level as the game’s other elite arms is also a factor. “Financially I’m fine, regardless,” he said. “You want to be paid in respect to how your peers are paid. I don’t think that changes with any guy you ask. It happens around baseball every year.” As Rogers points out, Scherzer and David Price are likelier comparables than the recently extended Stephen Strasburg, who secured a seven-year, $175MM deal.
Mets left-hander Steven Matz will miss his next start due to soreness in his pitching elbow, manager Terry Collins told the media (via ESPN New York’s Adam Rubin). Right-hander Logan Verrett will take Matz’s turn in the rotation on Saturday, and Matz will be examined by doctors in New York next Monday. As the lefty himself explained (via the New York Post’s Mike Puma), he tried to pitch through similar soreness last season and ultimately had to spent two months on the shelf. The issue seems relatively innocuous at the moment, though given Matz’s considerable injury history it’s not surprising to see Puma write that there is “some level of concern” about Matz.
MLB.com’s Bill Ladson spoke to Strasburg about his extension with the Nationals, (Twitter link to audio download), his motivation to sign now with free agency looming, the influence Tony Gwynn (his favorite player growing up and coach in college at San Diego State) has had on his desire to remain with one club and the team’s decision to shut him down in the midst of the 2012 playoff push in his first season back from Tommy John surgery. “He definitely had that sense of loyalty,” Strasburg said of Gwynn. “I think there were certainly times in his career where he could’ve gone other places, but the city, San Diego, kind of grew on him, and he became an icon in that city. I’m not about to say that I’m going to be on his level here in D.C., but I think you do have some sort of sense of loyalty to the team that did draft you, at least speaking for myself. So, when the opportunity presented itself that, here’s a fair deal presented to you, it didn’t really take long to make my mind up.”
Reds right-hander Homer Bailey is “taking a step back” in his rehab from Tommy John surgery, writes C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Bailey explains to Rosecrans that he had a second opinion on his elbow on Monday, 366 days after his surgery, and is slowing his pace as a precaution. Bailey recently experienced some pain and took 10 days off from throwing and is being extra cautious. “One of the things that was brought to my attention was there’s a lot of research about guys who come back at the 12-month mark have a higher probability of it happening again, as opposed to maybe 14 months then the numbers are (better),” he adds. Bailey made throws of 110-120 feet on Tuesday without pain, but he tells Rosecrans he’s still about a month away from a rehab assignment.
Chris Young, who underwent an MRI today due to forearm soreness, has been diagnosed with a muscle strain on the top of said forearm, tweets the Kansas City Star’s Rustin Dodd. Young is a candidate to land on the 15-day disabled list, even though (via MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan, on Twitter) manager Ned Yost said that Young may not need 15 whole days to recover from the issue. The club may simply not have a choice, especially due to the fact that right-hander Kris Medlen is also scheduled to have his shoulder examined due to some soreness (via Dodd). Medlen’s Sunday start is in jeopardy, though the severity of the issue remains unclear.

East Notes: Duquette, Rickard, Montero, Osuna

By Jeff Todd | April 12, 2016 at 1:36pm CDT

Both the Nationals and Orioles have rejected the idea that Washington is currently pursuing Baltimore executive VP of baseball operations Dan Duquette to take over as the club’s president. The clubs were responding to a report suggesting such interest from Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press (on Twitter). Mike Rizzo currently serves the Nationals as the general manager and president of baseball operations, though it’s possible that the organization could add a business-oriented president as well, and Duquette had reportedly been considered for such a broad role with the Blue Jays last year. It’s also worth noting that Rizzo has a two-year option that’s up for decision on June 15. This is hardly the first time there’s been intrigue surrounding Duquette, or Rizzo for that matter, though such a move would remain surprising — not least of which because the two clubs are engaged in a protracted dispute over television rights fees. It’s all hypothetical for now, anyway. “We are not in discussions with Dan Duquette, nor are we in the market for a team president,” a Nats spokesperson tells Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post (Twitter link). An Orioles source says that the club hasn’t received any request to contact Duquette, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com adds (Twitter links). Meanwhile, Duquette himself issued his own statement, saying: “I don’t know anything about this, nor has anyone contacted me.”

Here’s more from the game’s eastern divisions:

Duquette told Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com the backstory on the Orioles’ decision to take Joey Rickard from the Rays in this winter’s Rule 5 draft. You’ll want to read the full account at that link, but here’s a brief rundown: Baltimore’s analytics department put Rickard on the organization’s radar after his strong 2015, and the O’s got an up-front look when the 24-year-old played for Felipe Alou Jr. — the director of the team’s Dominican academy — in the Dominican Winter League. The stars aligned when Rickard was available when Baltimore’s Rule 5 slot came up, and the club’s uncertain corner outfield mix made him a good fit. Obviously, he’s rewarded the team thus far with an excellent start to the year; he’s among several players who have had outstanding debuts, as we covered in a poll earlier today.
The Mets are set to recall righty Rafael Montero to provide some innings, as ESPNNewYork.com’s Adam Rubin reports (Twitter link). Once one of the team’s more promising young pitchers, the 25-year-old has struggled with shoulder issues recently and wasn’t penciled in at the major league level to start the year. He’s needed there now, though, because of Jacob deGrom’s lat issue and Steven Matz’s rough, 1 2/3-inning outing yesterday. Those two situations have led to some early questions, with an anonymous scout telling Kevin Kernan of the New York Post that Matz seemed in need of further Triple-A seasoning after his first start. Barring some undisclosed health issues or continued struggles, that seems rather premature, though it’s fair to note that Matz did scuffle a bit this spring — allowing 13 walks (though racking up 21 strikeouts) in his 23 2/3 innings in camp.
Blue Jays closer Roberto Osuna is not only continuing to show the same exciting stuff that led to his breakout last year, but is increasingly working a changeup into his arsenal, as John Lott writes for Vice Sports. He’s certainly got enough with his fastball and slider to succeed in the late innings, but adding another plausible offering — if not a swing-and-miss option in and of itself — could certainly improve his near and long-term outlook. Of course, that might also increase the organization’s interest in shifting Osuna back into a starting role down the line.

New York Notes: ARod, Tex, Alderson, Wright

By | February 13, 2016 at 9:41pm CDT

In a list of 20 rookies to watch this season, Mets pitcher Steven Matz ranked fifth, writes Richard Justice of MLB.com. Matz is set to spend the season in the rotation, although the club has talked about having a sixth starter help to keep the young pitchers fresh. Across town, outfield prospect Aaron Judge is eighth on Justice’s list. He expects injuries to old vets to open an opportunity. Personally, I’m not entirely convinced Judge is major league ready after he hit .224/.308/.373 in 228 Triple-A plate appearances. The club has decent outfield depth too.

Speaking of potential Yankees injuries, fragility may define the 2016 Bombers, writes George A. King III of the NY Post. The rotation looks solid but thin. Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda, CC Sabathia, and even Nathan Eovaldi have all had their run-ins with the trainer. Luis Severino is young and therefore uncertain (pitching is always uncertain). Among the position players, Greg Bird is already out for the year. Jacoby Ellsbury, Carlos Beltran, Alex Rodriguez, and Mark Teixeira are all safe bets to need some time on the shelf.
Rodriguez and Teixeira may be key players in 2016, suggests Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News. Their ability to once again tap into the fountain of youth is one of Feinsand’s five questions for the 2016 campaign. He also wonders if Aroldis Chapman will face suspension, if Sabathia’s new knee brace can help him rebound, and if the rest of the rotation can stay healthy.
Mets GM Sandy Alderson continues to undergo chemotherapy for an undisclosed cancer, writes Adam Rubin of ESPN. He received the diagnosis shortly after the club clinched the NL East last season, giving the playoffs a bittersweet tinge. It has not affected his job.
Alderson figures David Wright should play a maximum of 130 games next season, writes Rubin. The club is keen to avoid overtaxing his back. He’ll rest against tough right-handed pitchers with Wilmer Flores likely to enter the lineup.
Alderson also answered a wide range of questions for Steve Serby of the NY Post. He touched upon his illness, virtually every position on the roster, and the farm system. When asked about the starting rotation, Alderson said, “you go that deep into the playoffs, there’s gonna be kind of a surcharge on their innings. So we’re gonna be careful with them. It doesn’t mean that we’re gonna manage their innings necessarily.“

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