ST. LOUIS _ Perhaps, he's being overly optimistic. But Mets manager Terry Collins left open the possibility that left-hander Steven Matz misses only his scheduled start on Thursday before coming off the disabled list.
"Right now, the way it looks, it's going to be the one start," Collins said. "It'll be Thursday. We're hoping that by Tuesday, he'll be OK to go again. But we'll just have to wait and see."
The Mets placed Matz on the DL retroactive to Aug. 15 with what they have labeled as left shoulder tightness. It's a relatively minor issue, especially considering the range of more severe possibilities when it comes to shoulders.
"I take it as good news," Collins said. "Certainly, any time you've got a pitcher especially with a shoulder issue, you're on pins and needles, not knowing how bad it's going to be. So, it came back that it was good news. Hopefully, a few days off and a little bit of rest will get him ready for next week."
To replace Matz on the roster, the Mets promoted pitching prospect Robert Gsellman from Triple-A Las Vegas. The right-hander will be used in long relief.
