JUPITER, Fla. — Ruben Tejada has battled enough leg injuries in his career to know he shouldn’t push his luck.
So when the Mets shortstop felt “tightness” in his left hamstring during pregame drills on Sunday, he alerted the team’s medical staff and was subsequently scratched from the lineup against the Cardinals.
“During the practice I felt a little bit tired and I said something because I don’t want to waste more days,” Tejada said.
Manager Terry Collins will take it cautiously with Tejada, who will not make the trip to Lake Buena Vista for Monday’s game against the Braves. Collins’ hope is Tejada can return to the lineup Tuesday or Wednesday.
In each of the past two seasons, Tejada has spent time on the disabled list with quadriceps injuries.
Collins is eager to get at-bats for Tejada, who is attempting to prove he’s the everyday shortstop after an abysmal 2013 season, but wasn’t going to risk it this early in the exhibition season.
“If I ran him out there with the knowledge he had a tight hamstring and he blew it out, it’s just inexcusable this time of year,” Collins said.
Anthony Seratelli started at shortstop on Sunday, and Collins has Omar Quintanilla and Wilmer Flores as additional options.
Former first-round draft pick Steven Matz fired a scoreless inning in relief and continues to impress team officials.
The 22-year-old Matz spent last year at Single-A Savannah, where he had a rebound season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2010.
“I love the kid’s arm, and he’s getting the ball down better each and every time,” pitching coach Dan Warthen said. “He threw a couple of great curveballs and nice changeup today, so a very positive outing for Steven.”
Matz, a Stony Brook native, opened his Grapefruit League season by striking out Yadier Molina in the fourth inning.
“He’s got a great arm, plus stuff and those kind of guys he could be over the injuries and those kind of things that have plagued him over his short career,” Collins said. “But he’s going to move fast, he’s got that kind of stuff.”
In the first-base competition, Ike Davis finished 0-for-3 with two strikeouts. Lucas Duda, who homered Saturday, did not make the trip.
Over their last two games combined, the Mets have only eight hits. Duda’s homer against the Marlins on Saturday and Curtis Granderson’s double on Sunday are the only extra-base hits over that stretch.