Mets’ Matz may miss opener
Often-injured lefty scratched from start with tender elbow.
New York Mets pitcher Steven Matz was scratched from his next start because of tenderness in his left elbow, putting his status for opening day in doubt.
Matz had been scheduled to throw today in a minor league game.
“There’s a little irritation, and he’s got to work that out,” Mets GM Sandy Alderson said Sunday. “We don’t think it’s anything significant, but it bothers him on extension. He won’t pitch tomorrow, and we’ll see where that takes him over the next four or five days.”
Alderson said the problem has bothered Matz for “a period of time.”
Alderson said the ailment i s t roubl i ng bec aus e t he left-hander has often been slowed during his two seasons with the Mets.
“It’s worrisome that he continues to be injured off and on,” Alderson said.
Matz, 25, was 9-8 with a 3.40 ERA in 22 starts last year, but was shut down in September and had surgery to remove bone spurs in his left elbow.
The Mets open the season April 3 at home against Atlanta.
Matz gave up five runs and eight hits in four innings against Miami on Wednesday. He is 1-1 with a 4.26 ERA in four starts this spring.
Manager Terry Collins said he was “extremely disappointed” to hear the news, saying he couldn’t imagine Matz would be ready for the season’s start if he missed this week.
T i ge r s : R i g h t - h a n d e d re l i e ve r Mark L owe was released. Lowe signed an $11 million, two-year contract before last season, but he was ineffective in 2016, going 1-3 with a 7.11 ERA in 54 appearances. He had a 5.19 ERA in nine appearances this spring.
Rockies: First baseman Mark Reynolds was signed from Triple-A Albuquerque. Reynolds, 33, figures to be the starter at first base in the absence of Ian Desmond, who is out with a broken left hand.
Reynolds hit a career-best .282 last season with 14 home runs and 53 RBIs. He was limited to 32 at-bats after Aug. 11. He broke a bone in his left hand while swinging a bat, had surgery on Aug. 15, was activated Aug. 31 and broke his left wrist when he was hit by a pitch on Sept. 18.
Yankees: Manager Joe Girardi has the top of his starting rotation lined up w i t h Ma s a h i r o T a n a k a , CC Sabathia and Michael Pineda. After that, the situation remains muddled. The Yankees started spring training looking to fill two spots in the rotation, and it’s still not clear what they’ll end up doing. Bryan Mitchell, Luis Severino, Chad Green, Adam Warren and Jordan Montgomery are in the mix. “We’re narrowing it down,” Girardi said. “We’re going to let these guys go through their last turn before we make the decision.”
Indians: Mike Chernof, the 6-year-old son of GM Mike Chernof, was invited into the team’s broadcast booth during the ninth inning of Saturday’s exhibition game. During the visit, Brody was asked a few questions by announcer Tom Hamilton, who wanted to know if the youngster’s dad was working on any new deals. “He’s trying to get, um, Lindor to play for seven more years,” Brody answered. Hamilton burst into laughter and joked that “we better not talk any more, Brody.”
The Indians want to sign All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor to a long-term contract.