VIERA − Steven Matz has nothing to prove, Dan Warthen said Friday morning, but he has plenty to work on. In the afternoon, the Mets’ young lefty showed exactly what Warthen was talking about.
After walking Danny Espinosa to start the third, Matz struggled pitching out of the stretch with the Nationals shortstop on first. He threw eight straight balls and after a bloop single left without recording an out in the third of the Mets’ 9-5 loss to the Nationals at Space Coast Stadium.
“I have been really trying to be more effective out of the stretch,” Matz said.