NEW YORK _ One of the longest successful and healthy stretches of Steven Matz's major-league career is over.
After four largely effective months under pitching coach Dave Eiland and manager Mickey Callaway, Matz landed on the disabled list Friday with a mild flexor pronator strain in his left elbow.
Mets decision-makers hinted Thursday that Matz would be formally sidelined, with assistant general manager John Ricco saying the Mets would take a "conservative" approach to Matz's issue and Callaway acknowledging that there was probably no benefit to allowing Matz to make his scheduled start Sunday.
"That's one of the reasons we have to make sure we do the right thing here," Callaway said.
This DL stint is Matz's fifth in four years, all pertaining to the left side of his upper body: lat, shoulder, elbow, elbow, elbow.
Matz has a 4.35 ERA and 1.34 WHIP this season, numbers that looked a lot better in the first half (3.38 ERA, 1.25 WHIP). He has opened the second half with three rough starts, including seven runs in two-thirds of an inning Tuesday against the Nationals, when he experienced forearm tightness that triggered him getting checked out by doctors.
Right-hander Corey Oswalt is expected to start in Matz's place Sunday.
