Steven Matz is a hero.
Even before the lefthander makes his major-league debut at Citi Field on Sunday, the former Ward Melville High School star had a sandwich named for him at a popular gathering place of his fans and neighbors in Suffolk County's Three Village area.
"The Matz" is a specialty sandwich at SE-Port Deli in East Setauket. The ingredients: chicken cutlet, melted jack and cheddar cheeses, crispy bacon, lettuce and tomato topped with pepper house dressing on a toasted garlic hero. It's what Matz ordered long before the sandwich was given his name.
The anticipation for Matz's major-league arrival has been palpable, so close that one can, uh, taste it, especially at the deli where Matz and his high school teammates often gathered.