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Mets rookie P Steven Matz out three weeks with partially torn lat muscle

New York Mets rookie lefthander Steven Matz will miss at least three weeks with a partially torn lat muscle on his left side.
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New York Mets rookie lefthander Steven Matz will miss at least three weeks with a partially torn lat muscle on his left side, the team announced on Thursday.

Matz received a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection and will not throw for three weeks. He will then be reexamined, the team said.

Matz, 24, made his major-league debut on June 28 in a game against the Cincinnati Reds. He picked up the win after pitching 7 2/3 innings and allowing two runs on five hits while striking out six batters and walking three. He also went 3-for-3 at the plate and drove in four runs, becoming the first pitcher ever to record that many hits and RBIs combined in his first outing.

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Matz made his second start last Sunday, picking up another win while pitching six innings against the Dodgers in Los Angeles, allowing zero runs and only two hits. He struck out eight batters and walked two in that game.

After that start, Matz mentioned stiffness in his lat on his left side, ESPN’s Adam Rubin reported. There was no indication he would miss any starts at that time, however.

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The Mets were off Thursday and will begin a three-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday before entering the All-Star break. New York entered Thursday 44–42, three games behind the Washington Nationals in the NL East.

Mike Fiammetta