Now Matz more like it! Steven finally delivers ‘conviction’
WEST PALM BEACH — Steven Matz is a believer — finally. The Mets lefty showed “conviction,” Monday as he struck out nine in six innings against the Astros at the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. “Conviction,” Mets manager Mickey Callaway said was what he liked of Matz’s outing. “You saw it. Obviously the strikeout total was high, but that’s maybe the best lineup he is going to face all year. That’s a pretty potent lineup and he went right after them.
“That’s what I thought was best about him today.”
Matz has been battling for a spot in the rotation this spring and started out slowly. He had allowed 10 earned runs, walked four and struck out one in 1.2 innings over his first two starts. Since then, he has allowed four earned runs, walked four and struck out 16 in 14.1 innings over three starts. “After the slow start I had, I put the work in and it is starting to pay off a little bit and starting to feel comfortable on the mound now,” Matz said.
Matz, who has struggled with injuries in his three Mets seasons, was not finishing his pitches earlier this spring. One scout who has seen Matz’s five starts said it looked like a bad habit he picked up last year before he was shut down to have surgery to move the ulnar nerve in his elbow. “He’s corrected it well,” the American League scout said. “He even got out of it a little bit his last start and self-corrected. That’s a good sign.”
Matz had the edge over Zack Wheeler for
the fifth rotation spot, but the hand injury to Jason Vargas will likely mean they both get to start the season in the rotation.
Wheeler, who only pitched half a season after a two-year rehab from Tommy John surgery, still feels like he is battling for his spot. He will slide into Vargas’ rotation spot this week, making the Grapefruit League start on Thursday. He threw a simulated inning Monday, throwing 18 pitches. Wheeler said Monday he has not been told anything about taking Vargas’ spot in the rotation and still feels like he needs to win a spot.
“I am just going to continue to do the best I can,” Wheeler said after his simulated inning. “I haven’t been told anything. I am going to battle and try to win a spot best I can, all I can do stay healthy.”
The Mets are keeping Jacob deGrom on schedule this week, bringing him in to pitch in a simulated game on Wednesday’s scheduled off day at the main ballpark. He will face minor league hitters and Michael Conforto for six simulated innings up to 80 pitches.
YO A HIT IN RETURN
Yoenis Cespedes singled in his return to the lineup. The slugger had not played in a Grapefruit League game in over a week because of discomfort in his right wrist.
“I felt great,” Cespedes said in a statement issue by the team. “It was great to be back out
on the field in a game and I plan on playing tomorrow.”
Cespedes had a cortisone shot in his right wrist Tuesday and began taking at-bats in minor league games Saturday.
The 32-year-old, who also had a sore shoulder earlier this spring, said Saturday he is confident that if he returns to the lineup Monday he will have enough at-bats to be ready for Opening Day.
Cespedes is hitting .269 with three home runs and five RBI in nine games this spring.
“I will be fine,” Cespedes said.
The Mets have to hope so. After signing Cespedes to a four-year, $110 million deal before last season, he missed 81 games with injuries to both hamstrings. While any wrist injury is a red flag with a power-hitter, Cespedes said this is not a major issue and it did not really concern him because he had dealt with it before. “In 2016, I had a cortisone shot in my left wrist so I know what’s going on and how I’m supposed to feel,” Cespedes said. “I’ll be fine.
LAGARES STRUGGLING
After spending the winter trying to revamp his swing, Juan Lagares has struggled. Lagares went 0-for-4 Monday and is 7-for-40 with one extra base hit ( a double) and an RBI. He has struck out 14 times and walked three times in 40 at-bats. “I mean what you do at the plate affects things, you don’t want just onedimensional players. I think Lego is gonna come a long,” Callaway said. “I think he’s still thinking internally, thinking about mechanics, which make it tough. At some point he’s going to have to make sure he goes out there and competes. I am not sure when that time is, it is probably vastly approaching. Sooner or later, you just have to go out there and don’t worry what you are working on, just go out there and put good swings on the baseball.
SCRIMMAGE
The Mets’ scrimmage against the TripleA club on Monday at 1 p.m. will be open to the public. The money from the $5 tickets will benefit the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life event being held on April 14. The ticket will also come with a voucher for one ticket to the St. Lucie Met’s Home Opener on April 5. Parking is free and gates will open at noon.