Mets lucky for once, Matz likely available
ATLANTA — In the battle of the sore fingers, Steven Matz would appear ahead of Noah Syndergaard.
The lefty Matz avoided the disabled list on Wednesday, a day after leaving his start for the Mets in the fourth inning with soreness in the middle finger, the result of losing control of his bat while swinging — Matz hurled the bat toward the on-deck circle. Matz could potentially make his next start, according to manager Mickey Callaway, but his status won’t be clear until he throws a bullpen session later in the week.
“All I know was it was good news: It wasn’t a significant injury,” assistant general manager John Ricco said. “As to when he makes his next start, we will figure that out in the next couple of days.”
Syndergaard was placed on the disabled list Tuesday with a strained ligament in his right index finger, but is expected to throw a bullpen session this weekend, after which the Mets will evaluate whether he can return to the rotation.
The Mets’ overhaul of the medical staff in the offseason — which included the addition of Jim Cavallini as the team’s director of performance and sports science — hasn’t produced the desired effect of keeping players off the disabled list, but Ricco said the organization is pleased with the process.
“Any time you look at injuries there’s the collective and then you look at the individual and what’s happened, what’s preventable and what’s not,” Ricco said. “That is the analysis we do and we’re really happy with the thoroughness that is happening back there.” The Mets added bullpen depth by recalling lefty Buddy Baumann from Triple-A Las Vegas. In addition, righthander Tim Peterson was selected from Las Vegas and right-hander Scott
Copeland was selected from Double-A Binghamton. To clear space on the 40man roster, P.J. Conlon was designated for assignment and Juan Lagares was transferred to the 60-day disabled list.
Seth Lugo is expected to be limited to about 60 pitches for his start against the Cubs on Thursday at Citi Field.
Frazier and Cosell are in the same building again.
Though Mets third baseman Todd Frazier has no relation to Joe, one of the team’s new public address announcers is Colin Cosell, grandson of legendary broadcaster Howard Cosell.
Cosell will split duties with Marysol Castro, the franchise’s f irst female voice behind the microphone, as PA announcers for the rest of the season at Citi Field. Castro will debut Thursday against the Cubs, and Cosell begins Saturday.
“I’m proud, humbled and honored to be part of such a storied franchise with such an amazing, devoted fan base,” said Cosell, who has won three Emmy Awards as a broadcaster with MSG Varsity. “Sharing this opportunity with Marysol is truly thrilling.”
Castro has spent the past two de- cades as a television journalist at WPIX-TV, News 12 The Bronx and elsewhere.
“I appreciate the Mets for doing something they’ve never done in franchise history,” Castro said. “I look forward to working with the team, including my partner Colin Cosell, who has sports royalty running through his veins.”
Howard Cosell, who died in 1995, carved out one of the most storied careers in sports broadcasting, including calling the majority of Muhammad Ali’s fights and George Foreman’s famous knockout of Joe Frazier for the 1973 world heavyweight championship.
Alex Anthony was the announcer from 2002-17, making the move with the team from Shea Stadium to Citi Field. He was replaced on an interim basis at the start of this season by Rob Rush, also the announcer for the NBA GLeague’s Long Island Nets.
—