SAN DIEGO -- Mets starter Steven Matz is dealing with stiffness in his back and will not make his next scheduled start on Tuesday. Matz, who has dealt with a similar injury in the past, felt the issue on Saturday and did not throw his regular bullpen session as a result.
"I was throwing [Saturday] and I just felt a little something in my back," Matz said. "I just threw a bullpen [Sunday] and it went really good. I'm feeling good."
Noah Syndergaard will pitch on Tuesday instead, with Jacob deGrom to follow on Wednesday on full rest as well. Matz will move to the end of the rotation and start on Saturday, while also being available from the bullpen earlier in the week.
"He felt really good in his bullpen and looked good," Mets manager Mickey Callaway said. "We just don't want to take the chance that he comes in on Tuesday not feeling great and not being able to pitch, and then we don't know where we're at. We also had to let Syndergaard know something so he could do some things on his off-day."
Matz received a cortisone injection in the area this past offseason, which helped treat the issue at the time. The left-hander is confident that the recurring injury would not hold him out of the rotation long.
"It's something that has come up from time to time," Matz said. "It's actually in the back of my ribs, it's kind of a form of bursa sac that's very common. It's never been a problem that has caused me to miss a start. It comes and goes, and you just have to jump on top of it, which we did."