MIAMI - Mets lefthander Steven Matz took his first step on the road to recovery Monday when he played catch for the first time since going on the disabled list with a partially torn lat muscle in his left side.
Manager Terry Collins said Matz played catch at a distance of 60 feet. The former Ward Melville star could be ready for a return in roughly a month, though the team does not have a firm timetable.
"Very positive, very positive," Collins said. "No problems. I saw him the other day and he felt great. He couldn't wait to get back out and start playing catch, which he did today.