#How Steven Matz’s ‘vow’ kept him ready for crucial Mets role

Steven Matz can actually consider this as spring training 3.0.

His first camp came in February and March with the rest of his Mets teammates, but was suspended by the coronavirus outbreak. Then there was the camp of sorts in which Matz participated at home in Nashville, Tenn., with players such as James McCann, Logan Forsythe, Adam Duvall, Lance Lynn, Phil Gosselin, Jacob Stallings and teammate Brad Brach, all of whom live nearby.

Matz credits those workouts for his arriving to Citi Field last week ahead of where he would be normally. In his first simulated game on Monday, the left-hander threw three innings. By the time this 60-game season begins on July 24, he expects to be at full strength.

“That was kind of my mindset all along, when this thing got shut down,” Matz said Wednesday at Citi Field. “I felt like we would be back together at some point, so me and [Brach] kind of made a vow to each other, like we’re going to be available to each other because we’re in the same area and [White Sox catcher] James McCann was awesome.

“He was out there twice a week for us catching bullpens and simulated games, so in my mindset I wanted to be ready to come in and throw five innings. I threw three innings the other day, so I feel like a lot of guys stayed in good shape and we’ll be ready to rock when the season comes.”

Matz’s importance to the team increased in March, when Noah Syndergaard was diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament that necessitated Tommy John surgery. Matz at the time was a possibility to share a rotation spot with Michael Wacha – the Mets had six starters for five spots – but now is cemented into a rotation that also includes Jacob deGrom, Marcus Stroman and Rick Porcello.

Matz went 11-10 last season with a 4.21 ERA, reaching 30 starts for the second straight year. He’s now working to receive better results with his curveball.

“The main worry is the feel of everything and consistency of stuff,” he said. “I have been messing around with different grips, on different pitches, I have been throwing a slower curveball and harder curveball. I was throwing to hitters once a week for four innings or so and so I really was able to tinker with a lot of different grips and different stuff, so all that just gave me a better feel for what I was doing out there. I think that’s the biggest thing, is having that comfortable feel on the mound.”

Ideally, Matz would throw four innings in his next simulated game and then boost that total beyond five in his next two appearances.

“Seeing him for the couple of innings he threw the other day he looks really good,” manager Luis Rojas said. “He looks like he did exactly what he was told and what he was communicating to everybody. Let’s say we’re in a good place, for the next start and the next start until we see the pitch count and the length he can be out there for a game.”

With safety measures in place that focus mainly on social distancing, Matz says he’s confident this season will happen.

“The way it has been handled over here, I feel with these protocols we have got I feel that everybody is pretty safe from my point of view,” Matz said. “The Mets did a great job of everybody putting their heads together and seeing how this thing could work. With seeing how things are going on here, I feel pretty optimistic.”