Steven Matz’s new shoulder injury revealed

According to ESPN.com’s Adam Rubin, Matz will be replaced by Seth Lugo Friday. “I’m really not anxious about it”. He has been receiving shots of painkillers before each start to combat the discomfort, a team source said to the New York Daily News.

Matz said he felt fine after his last start on Sunday, but while throwing a curveball from flat ground on Tuesday when he “felt a twinge” that has lingered. “I’m definitely not happy about it”. And then, next day, I was throwing and I was still feeling it, so I didn’t throw my bullpen, hoping it would get better.

Matz has already been slowed by a bone spur in his pitching elbow, which will eventually have to be removed via surgery, though he has still managed to go 9-8 with a 3.40 ERA in 22 starts this season. Lugo was asked to fill in for Steven Matz (shoulder) and did a respectable job under the circumstances, giving up seven hits and one walk while striking out three batters.

“It was bothering me a little bit”, Matz said. His ERA with Triple A Las Vegas this year, for whom he has made 14 starts, is at 6.50 through 73.1 innings.

“It happened again today”, Terry Collins said.

Lugo last pitched in relief on Wednesday, tossing 1 1⁄3 scoreless innings against the Diamondbacks. “It’s disappointing it didn’t bounce back like I wanted it to this past start”, Matz said. The hope is, in between injuries, he can be on the mound long enough to sustain success and be the dominant pitcher he’s capable of being for the Mets. “But you’ve got to do what’s right and what’s right is to make sure this kid down the road is going to be healthy”. The Mets resolved to monitor Matz’s mechanics closely for fear that changing them because of the bone spur in his elbow might trigger issues elsewhere in his arm. In the short term, however, the Mets will be forced to deal with another injury to a key player.

Fantasy Impact: The hits just keep on coming for the Mets and Matz.