The Mets’ new dream rotation took a hit on Thursday when stud rookie Steven Matz was diagnosed with a partial tear of the lat muscle on his left side.
According to a statement released by the team, Matz received a platelet-rich plasma injection at the Hospital for Special Surgery and will not be allowed to throw for three weeks, at which time he will be re-examined.
Matz dealt with lat soreness leading into his start last Sunday against the Dodgers in which he fired six scoreless innings. Manager Terry Collins indicated Matz had been cleared to pitch a day earlier after demonstrating to pitching coach Dan Warthen that he was healthy during a throwing session.
Matz was scheduled to pitch Sunday against the Diamondbacks, but that start will likely be taken by Jon Niese or Bartolo Colon, both of whom would be working on full rest. It is unclear in what direction the Mets will go with their six-man rotation, but team brass has time to discuss various scenarios thanks to the upcoming All-Star break.
In two starts, Matz is 2-0 with a 1.32 ERA and 14 strikeouts. He had teamed with Jacob deGrom, Matt Harvey and Noah Syndergaard over the past two weeks to give the Mets their first real glimpse of the future.
In his major league debut on June 28 at Citi Field, the 24-year-old lefty made an immediate impact, with his bat as much as his pitching arm. In the victory over the Reds, Matz had three hits and four RBIs in addition to pitching 7 ²/₃ innings and allowing two earned runs on five hits.
Matz had been kept on a strict innings count at Triple-A Las Vegas before his promotion because the club wanted to save his bullets for the major leagues. The organization had planned to let Matz pitch about 185 innings this season split between Las Vegas and the Mets. As it stands, Matz has thrown 104 innings between the two stops.
The Stony Brook native was the Mets’ second-round selection in the 2009 draft. He underwent Tommy John surgery in May 2010 that cost him two seasons in the minors.
The Mets have been crushed by injuries this season, but the starting rotation had largely been immune since losing Zack Wheeler to Tommy John surgery during spring training. David Wright (spinal stenosis) and Travis d’Arnaud (elbow strain) are the Mets players currently on the disabled list, but Daniel Murphy also missed extensive action and over the past week Michael Cuddyer’s left knee has become an issue that could force him to the DL.
If the Mets stick with the six-man rotation, it could mean a return for Dillon Gee, who has spent the past three weeks at Triple-A Las Vegas, after he was designated for assignment in June and the club failed to trade him. But in three starts for Las Vegas, Gee has pitched to an 8.82 ERA.
Rafael Montero, another candidate for the rotation when the season began, has been sidelined since late April with shoulder soreness and hasn’t made significant strides toward returning.
The injury to Matz only underscores general manager Sandy Alderson’s reluctance to trade any of his top pitchers as the team seeks upgrades to a lineup that has been among the least productive in the major leagues.