Because of circumstances beyond his control — namely the rain and the Mets’ continued offensive futility — Steven Matz had an additional three and a half hours to ponder how he would fare against his first major league batter.
When the moment finally arrived, the one that he dreamed about growing up a Mets fan in Stony Brook, N.Y., that batter, Brandon Phillips, ruthlessly welcomed Matz with a leadoff home run that just cleared the left-field fence at Citi Field.
Matz was erratic early. His first pitch — a 96-mile-per-hour fastball — was high and wide and flew out of the mitt of catcher Johnny Monell.