TAMPA – Tyler Matzek looked like he had an inside track to making the Yankees’ bullpen as a non-roster invite, but an injury is threatening to delay that.
The lefty reliever is dealing with an oblique issue, pitching coach Matt Blake told The Post on Friday, and the Yankees are slow-playing him in hopes of not turning it into a bigger problem.
Asked if it could delay Matzek’s availability to start the season, Blake said “potentially.”
“We want to make sure he’s built up and get him a true buildup to get ready for the season, so just got to take it a day at a time,” Blake said Friday.
Matzek, who is just over two years removed from Tommy John surgery, has made just one appearance in a Grapefruit League game, tossing a perfect inning against the Twins on Feb. 25.
At the time, the Yankees were raving about how Matzek looked early, believing that they had something in the veteran who signed a minor-league deal last month.
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