New York Mets starter Steven Matz was at his alma mater Ward Melville High School in East Setauket, New York today. He was hosting a “Meet the Matz” all-day baseball clinic.
During the clinic, Matz told Jamie Stuart of Newsday, that his goal for the 2017 season was to make 30 starts. He recently resumed throwing and is expected to be ready by spring training.
“I feel on track. I’m really raring to go. I’m starting to get that itch for spring training coming around and I think a lot of the guys are. That seems to be the trend.”
Matz threw 132.2 innings in 2016 over 22 big league starts. His career high for starts and innings came in 2014 when he made 24 starts and threw 140 innings between the St. Lucie and Binghamton Mets.
Mets 2016 first rounder and former Ward Melville pitcher Anthony Kay was also an instructor at the clinic.
Original Report – Dec 2
New York Mets left-handed pitcher Steven Matz was a guest on WOR radio last night and said he had been cleared by the team doctors to proceed with his normal offseason routine.
The doctors said, ‘You’re good to go, progress with your normal offseason,'” Matz told WOR.
Matz, 25, had surgery in early October to remove what was labeled as a “massive” bone spur in his pitching elbow. Matz was diagnosed with the bone spur earlier in the season, but decided to pitch through the pain.
Matz made his last start of the season on Aug. 14 before he was diagnosed with rotator cuff impingement that would officially get him shutdown for the year.
The young lefty went 9-8 with a 3.40 ERA, 1.209 WHIP, and posted a 2.7 bWAR over 22 starts in 2016. He struck out 129 batters compared to only 31 walks in 132.2 innings and finished sixth in the Rookie of the Year voting.
