Elbow not issue as Matz bounces back

By Mike Puma If the Mets were looking for a sign Steven Matz can pitch effectively with a bone spur in his left elbow, they received it Tuesday night.

In his sharpest performance in f ive weeks, the rookie limited the Marlins to two runs on six hits over seven innings in the Mets’ 5-2 loss to the Marlins at Citi Field.

“It was the best I have felt command-wise in awhile,” said Matz, whose only mistake was surrendering a tworun homer to Giancarlo Stanton in the seventh.

The Mets revealed last week that Matz recently has been pitching through discomfort caused by a bone spur. The lefty will continue to take anti-inflammatories before he pitches, with the hope of avoiding season-ending surgery on the elbow.

“I don’t think he is feeling anything right now,” manager Terry Collins said. “It will flare up and then there’s days it doesn’t bother him at all. Today he felt great and he showed that.”

Matz said he’s been monitoring his workload between starts to keep his elbow rested.

Travis d’Arnaud had hinted all along he would surrender his No. 7 to Jose Reyes, and Tuesday the transaction occurred.

Reyes, upon arriving from Double-A Binghamton, received the uniform number he wore during his first Mets tenure, with d’Arnaud switching to No. 18.

D’Arnaud said he selected 18 as his new number as a tribute to Peyton Manning.

If Alejandro De Aza has nine lives, he may have already used eight of them, but he remains on the roster: Matt Reynolds was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas to clear space for Reyes.

De Aza entered play batting only .162, but is also earning $5.75 million this season. He pinch hit in the eighth inning and smashed his second home run of the season.

Collins said it was difficult demoting Reynolds.

“[Reynolds] played very well, but we just don’t have enough spots,” Collins said. “So he was the guy that we thought he’s got to go play so when he comes back he’s ready to resume what he did when he got here.”