Mets injury update: Steven Matz threw a baseball today

For the first time since suffering a partially-torn lat just under a month ago, Steven Matz is throwing a baseball. ESPN reports that the 24-year-old pitcher threw on flat ground today. After placing Matz on the disabled list on July 9, general manager Sandy Alderson said that he would not be able to throw for at least three weeks, at which point he would be re-examined.

Matz had previously complained of discomfort following his major league debut against the Reds. The Mets let him make his next start in Los Angeles, but Matz still felt the discomfort and was diagnosed with a partially-torn lat, which landed him on the disabled list just four days later.

Terry Collins said yesterday that he hopes to get Matz back in early September. Should this hope come to fruition, Collins said the team would return to a six-man rotation. In two starts for the Mets this season, Matz went 2-0 with a 1.32 ERA while striking out 14 in 13.2 innings. He also recorded three hits in six at-bats and drove in five runs over his first two games.