Mets’ Matz struggles as injuries mount
PORT ST. LUCIE, FLA. » Even before Steven Matz had a shaky spring training debut, it had been another bumpy day for the New York Mets.
Eager to put last season’s rash of injuries behind them, the Mets have instead been slowed by various ailments this month under new manager Mickey Callaway.
The Mets said Tuesday that slugging outfielder Yoenis Cespedes was out of action because of mild shoulder soreness. The team also said ace Jacob deGrom was feeling stiffness in his lower back.
Then in the third inning against Houston, reliever Anthony Swarzak, who signed a two-year contract with the Mets in December, left the field with two outs after covering first base and committing an error on a soft toss from Adrian Gonzalez.
Swarzak’s short sprint — his second of the inning to cover the bag — resulted in a left calf strain. The right-hander will have an MRI on Wednesday.
“I just felt something grab a little bit in my calf. I continued to run and walked off the field, some good signs. It wasn’t a situation where I had to hit the deck and pray for the best. It was nothing that serious whatsoever,” Swarzak said.
Swarzak said he rarely cramps. And because he was standing and walking, he added, “I think we’ll
be OK.”
Callaway said the minor injuries are simply a product of the staff being overly cautious.
“The things some of them have, they’d be playing right
through during the regular season. It doesn’t make much sense right now to push it because we have plenty of time to get them all ready,” he said.
Matz’s problems were more related to his results.
The left-hander worked a perfect first inning before failing to record an out against the five Astros he
faced in the second frame. He allowed five runs on three hits and two walks.
“I feel healthy and I feel good, so I’m going to build off that and kind of visit some things in the next few days and build off the outing,” said Matz, who left Max Stassi’s two-run, bloop single.
Matz said he didn’t know
how he suddenly lost it in his 36-pitch outing against a Houston lineup that sported just one starter, Evan Gattis.
“It’s hard to say at this point,” Matz said. “It’s frustrating, but it’s February and this is the best I’ve felt in spring training in a long time, just physically,” he said.