New York Mets: What Role Can Steven Matz play?
By Jason Evans
The New York Mets will be getting another of their young arms back in Steven Matz. How can they use him the last two weeks of the season?
The New York Mets’ strength this season was supposed to be its young arms. Instead of Matt Harvey and Jacob deGrom, they’ve had Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman down the stretch of this season. With just two weeks left to go in the season, they are close to getting one of their other arms back in Steven Matz.
"“We have no plans yet. Nothing’s written. Steven Matz’s name certainly will be in the mix,” Collins said. “But Steven, when he gets here, is going to be a guy with a limit in workload that he has. So to get him built up and get him where we want, I am not sure we have the starts available.”"
Matz has not pitched in a game since August 14. He threw a bullpen session in Florida which consisted of 30 pain free pitches.
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The Mets went with the “Johnny Wholestaff” approach on Sunday as Gabriel Ynoa and five other bullpen pitchers combined to get the win. That turn would come again Friday in which Matz could be the guy to at least start the game.
With Noah Syndergaard likely to pitch in the Wild Card game should the Mets get there, they are going to need some other pitchers.
I think the goal should be to get Matz’s feet wet over the next two starts with possible postseason play on the horizon.
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The Mets can use Matz in a tandem starter approach with Ynoa or even someone like Gsellman come playoff time. With the shoulder injury and the bone spur Matz is pitching with, they have to be careful with him. They already have enough injured arms.
As much as the Mets are looking in the near-term, they have to be cognizant of the future and Matz is a huge part of that. They can’t push him too hard over the last fortnight of the year, but they need to see what he has.