MILWAUKEE — Daisuke Matsuzaka followed one of his worst relief appearances of the season with a trip to New York for an MRI exam.
The veteran right-hander had soreness in his right elbow warming up Thursday and proceeded to allow two home runs in two innings of relief against the Brewers. Afterward, he indicated to manager Terry Collins the elbow was an issue.
Matsuzaka is scheduled to undergo his MRI exam on Saturday.
Collins said the Mets have enough bullpen options to get through at least Saturday without Matsuzaka. But if Matsuzaka needs an extended shutdown, the Mets could summon another reliever from Triple-A Las Vegas in time for Saturday night’s game.
Matsuzaka is 3-3 with a 3.87 ERA this season, bouncing between the rotation and bullpen.
Jenrry Mejia warmed up in a hurry after Lucas Duda’s two-run blast in the ninth put the Mets in a save situation. The right-hander walked pinch-hitter Jonathan Lucroy before getting three outs for his 14th save. But despite his success in the closer’s role, Mejia hasn’t gotten overconfident.
“Sometimes, something is going to happen,” Mejia said before the Mets’ 3-2 come-from-behind win over the Brewers Fridayn night. “Like with them, you think the game is going to be over, because Francisco Rodriguez comes in the game and he is a good pitcher. But I don’t have to think about, ‘I’m going to lose the game.’ I’m just going to think about ‘I’m going to save the game.’ ”
Ruben Tejada returned to the lineup for his first action since getting drilled in the helmet with a Taijuan Walker 94-mph fastball on Wednesday and finished 0-for-4.
“I think Ruben, after he came out and sat down and got his bearings, I think he was more scared than he was hurt,” Collins said. “You’ve got to get back in there. He’s one of those guys, he’s on the [plate]. If he’s going to continue, he’s got to stay on the [plate], because hitters like himself that is where they need to be.”
Curtis Granderson went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts and is hitless in his last 17 at-bats.
In the eighth inning, the Mets challenged their 19th play of the season. Eric Campbell originally was called out at first base by umpire Mark Ripperger on a grounder to second, but the call was overturned on replay.