Steven Matz could rejoin Mets after Tuesday’s Triple-A rehab start

According to Newsday’s David Lennon, depending on the how he fares in his rehab start on Tuesday with the Triple-A Las Vegas 51s, the Mets could decide to activate Steven Matz from the disabled list sooner than originally expected. Matz has made one rehab start with the St. Lucie Mets, tossing three innings of one-run ball on May 18.

Matz has been on the disabled list since the end of spring training in March, when he developed a flexor tendon strain in his pitching arm. Matz’s injury was initially considered just “elbow tenderness” when the 25-year-old left-hander was scratched from a start. After throwing for two straight days, Matz was given a platelet-rich plasma injection, limiting his performance.

Matz has a history of arm injuries, including Tommy John surgery and a bone spur that required surgery during this past offseason. In his current recovery, he began a throwing program in late April, and he made it back to the mound for his first official throw on May 2 for the Single-A St. Lucie Mets.

Last season, Matz went 9-8 with a 3.40 ERA in 132 innings. In 28 career starts for the Mets, Matz holds a 3.16 ERA and has recorded 163 strikeouts in 168 innings.