Steven Matz's Playoff Availability In Question; Uribe Sent To NY To Be Examined
PHILADELPHIA (CBSNewYork/AP) — New York Mets rookie left-hander Steven Matz has been scratched from his scheduled start on Thursday against the Philadelphia Phillies because of a back injury, putting his playoff availability in question.
Matz had been slated to pitch in Wednesday's game, then was pushed back a day when he woke up Tuesday with a sore back following a poor night's sleep. Manager Terry Collins said Wednesday the back issue was lingering.
Matz is 4-0 with a 2.27 ERA and 34 strikeouts in six starts. He didn't pitch for the Mets between July 5 and Sept. 6 because of a partial muscle tear in his left side. The current injury is on the opposite side of his back.
The NL East champion Mets open the playoffs on Oct. 9 against the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Matz was in line to be their No. 4 starter.
"We have to make a determination if he's going to fit or not," Collins said.
Collins said he could use Matz in a relief role this weekend to determine the pitcher's fitness.
Veteran infielder Juan Uribe, meanwhile, is heading back to New York to be examined by team doctors, according to the New York Daily News.
The 36-year-old aggravated his chest last week, but he's shown "very little" improvement, the newspaper reported.
Acquired from the Braves on July 24, Uribe has hit .219 with six home runs and 20 RBIs in 44 games with the Mets.
(TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
