WASHINGTON — Steven Matz received a homework assignment earlier this season.
Unhappy with the manner the Mets left-hander was reacting to adversity, pitching coach Dave Eiland told Matz to begin studying other pitchers, and not just on his own team.
“The days he’s not pitching, whether it be one of our pitchers or an opposing pitcher out there, watch how when something might not go right for him how he reacts and watch the good and the bad,” Eiland said Sunday before the Mets beat the Nationals 8-6. “Pitch along with our guy, pitch along with their guy.