PORT ST. LUCIE — Steven Matz could use some work pitching from the stretch.
The Mets left-hander will get all the practice he needs on that front if he struggles with his control, as he did Tuesday in his Grapefruit League debut. In his return from late-season elbow surgery, Matz allowed three hits, two walks and five runs in one-plus inning against the Astros at First Data Field.
Matz pitched a perfect first inning, but never recorded an out in the second, allowing five base runners.
“I felt really good out of my windup,” Matz said. “It was kind of out of the stretch I felt a little bit uncomfortable, so that could be one of the things I work on in between the start. Really, I felt comfortable with all the pitches, it’s just that I was missing a little bit here and there and really I felt good out of my windup.”
In 13 starts last season, Matz went 2-7 with a 6.08 ERA and 1.53 WHIP. Following surgery last summer to relocate the ulnar nerve in his pitching elbow — a procedure similar to one Jacob deGrom underwent a year earlier — the Mets are hoping Matz can show he’s worthy of a spot in their rotation.
Matz was set to break camp last year in the rotation, but elbow discomfort near the end of spring training kept him on the disabled list until June 10.
“I feel healthy, feel good, so we’ll just build off that and visit some things in the next couple of days and try to build off the outing,” Matz said.
But it’s clear Matz expected better Tuesday.
“It’s frustrating, but it’s February and this is the best I’ve felt in spring training in a long time, just physically,” he said. “I was real excited coming into camp, so that is the frustrating thing when you get results like that. But you have really got to overlook it at this point.”
Matz probably needs to make a mechanical adjustment, according to manager Mickey Callaway.
“That one inning got away from him, he started leaving some balls up,” Callaway said. “He’s got so much movement on his fastball that it’s pretty amazing. He was probably flying open a tad with the front shoulder and just lost his command a little bit.”