Matz could be used as the primary pitcher behind an opener this season, Mike Puma of The New York Post reports.

EDGE Analysis

The Mets haven't yet embraced some of the new-fangled pitching strategies that are spreading around the league, so at this point the team having anything beyond five traditional starting pitchers is just speculative. Matz struggled in the first inning through the early part of last season, however, and if those issues return it could spur the organization to get creative, assuming he breaks camp in the rotation. For his part, the southpaw didn't seem terribly enthusiastic about the prospect. "It's definitely intriguing," Matz said, when asked about the idea of an opener. "But for me personally it's just my whole career I have never done that, so it's different. I am used to starting, warming up for the game, long tossing all that stuff. I think that [opener] stuff is more different. I don't know how they do it. We've never done it really in the big leagues with the Mets, so I don't know how it is, I don't know what it's like so I can't comment on it." Matz has had a solid start to his spring, allowing one run and posting a 2:0 K:BB through three innings, but he'll need to keep pitching well over the rest of the spring to secure a rotation spot.

Matz is focused on staying aggressive this spring after changing his approach following a brief demotion to the bullpen last season, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

The southpaw is battling with Rick Porcello and Michael Wacha for the final two spots in the Mets' rotation this spring, but the fact that he would be the only left-hander in the group, as well as his holdover status, would seem to give Matz the edge. Prior to his demotion to a relief role last July, he'd posted a 6.21 ERA in the first innings of his starts, but Matz then learned to be more aggressive attacking hitters rather than being overly concerned over which of his pitches were "working" on any given day. He posted a 3.52 ERA over his final 14 starts after rejoining the rotation, allowing only one first-inning run along the way. "Some days, you just feel like you don't have it," Matz said. "And so sometimes, you've got to just trust -- trust that what you have, all the work you put in, all the preparation that you put in, that it's going to be there, instead of, 'I don't feel like I have a good curveball today,' so you shy away from it or whatever. You put in all these hours of work, just trust it, go out and execute. That mentality, I think translates well for me."

Matz signed a one-year, $5 million deal with the Mets on Friday, avoiding arbitration, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports.

EDGE Analysis

Matz threw a career-high 160.1 innings last season. His 4.21 ERA was the second worst of his five-year career, good for a slightly worse than average 102 ERA-.

Matz (11-10) earned the win Saturday versus the Braves after allowing two hits across six shutout innings. He struck out seven and walked five.

EDGE Analysis

Matz dealt with baserunners for most of the evening but kept the Braves off the board by inducing 17 swinging strikes and giving up only one extra-base hit. The left-hander finishes 2019 with a 4.21 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 153:52 K:BB through 160.1 innings.

Matz (10-10) took the loss against the Marlins on Monday, giving up six earned runs on nine hits over five innings, striking out three with no walks in an 8-4 loss for the Mets.

EDGE Analysis

After getting lit up for seven earned by the Rockies in his last start, Matz had a rough go again in this contest, giving up four of his six runs in the sixth inning and eventually ending up with his 10th loss of the season. The pair of blow-ups leaves the left-hander with a 4.37 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 146:47 K:BB across 154.1 innings. He's scheduled to make one more start to close out the season in a Saturday home matchup against the Braves.

Matz will make his next start Monday against the Marlins, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports.

EDGE Analysis

Matz was on track to make his next appearance Sunday in the series finale against the Reds, but he'll be pushed back a day. Marcus Stroman is set to toe the rubber Sunday.

Matz (10-9) took the loss against the Rockies on Monday, giving up seven earned runs on six hits over four innings, striking out four and walking two as the Mets fell 9-4.

EDGE Analysis

Matz blanked the Diamondbacks his last time out, but he was shelled in this one, with most of the damage against him coming on long balls he gave up to Ian Desmond and Trevor Story. The 28-year-old left-hander now sports a 4.16 ERA and 1.33 WHIP across 149.1 innings ahead of his next start, which is scheduled for Sunday in a road matchup against the Reds.

Matz (10-8) allowed four hits and three walks while striking out seven across six scoreless innings to earn the win Wednesday against the Diamondbacks.

EDGE Analysis

The Mets gave Matz plenty of run support early by jumping out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning. He proved plenty capable of maintaining that, generating 15 of his 18 outs via strikeout or ground ball. After being tagged for several blowup outings throughout the first half of the season, Matz has allowed two or fewer earned runs in 10 of his last 11 starts since a brief stint in the bullpen that ended on July 16. For the campaign, he now touts a 3.84 ERA and 1.31 WHIP with 139 strikeouts across 145.1 innings. He's currently projected to make his next start in a tough matchup Monday at Coors Field against the Rockies.

Matz didn't factor into the decision in Friday's 5-4 win over the Phillies, allowing two runs on six hits and three walks over 5.2 innings while striking out four.

EDGE Analysis

The southpaw tossed 109 pitches (67 strikes) and ran out of gas just short of his 14th quality start of the season. Matz has a 2.78 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 54:13 in 58.1 second-half innings, and he'll look to keep rolling in his next outing Wednesday, at home against the Diamondbacks.

Matz (9-8) allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits with one walk and six strikeouts across five innings while earning a victory against the Phillies on Saturday.

EDGE Analysis

Because one run was unearned, Matz extended his streak of starts without yielding more than two earned runs to five. During that stretch, he's gone 3-1 with a 2.10 ERA, helping lower his ERA almost a run since the beginning of July. Matz owns a 4.04 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 128 strikeouts in 133.2 innings overall this season. He is scheduled to pitch versus the Phillies again Friday at home.