Mets: LHP Steven Matz cleared by doctors to resume offseason program

The Mets lefty Steven Matz is recovering from elbow surgery to remove a bone spur.

The Mets rotation is shaping up nicely for next season. The sole lefty of the bunch, Steven Matz, has been cleared by doctors to proceed with his regular offseason training and pitching schedule.

Matz underwent surgery to remove a bone spur from his elbow in October, but thankfully less than two months after surgery, his progress has been sufficient that the Mets medical staff is giving him the green light.

The Long Island-native told WOR Thursday, “I got cleared. The doctors said you’re good to go, progress with your normal offseason.”

Steven Matz’ 2016 season was a struggle injure-wise, to say the least. He was able to pitch through the discomfort and pain caused by the bone spur in his elbow for a couple of months, but it wasn’t easy all the time.

“It had its moments,” Matz said in his interview about dealing with the bone spur in his elbow. “Some days were worse than others. Some days it wasn’t even there. I think that’s why it wasn’t a no-brainer to just end the season in June and go get [surgery]. That’s why I was like, I think I can fight through this, it’s not causing any damage to any other parts of my elbow.”

Unfortunately for Matz, the summer brought along on another issue, this time with his shoulder. While no surgery is expected be needed to address that problem, it was bad enough that it prevented him from coming back to the rotation at the end of the season.

The Amazin’s southpaw told WOR he wasn’t sure if the impingement that caused inflammation in his left shoulder was related to the elbow or not, but thankfully it isn’t a worry going into 2017.

As the only left-hander in the rotation, Matz’s presence is crucial for the Mets’ success in 2017. The kid has had poise and has pitched well in crucial spots both during the regular season and the playoffs. Let’s hope that like Harvey and deGrom, Matz is able to stay on the field and deliver where it counts the most.