Mets pitcher Steven Matz left his start against the Braves after three innings with discomfort in the middle finger of his pitching hand, the team announced Tuesday.

New York’s athletic trainer and manager Mickey Callaway went to the mound while Matz was throwing his warm-up pitches before the fourth inning. The trainer examined Matz’ left hand and he was then removed from the game.

Matz allowed no runs and one hit in his three innings of work. He has registered a 2-3 record and a 3.55 ERA so far this season.

Contract negotiations and pro baseball can wait.

He’s got messages to deliver in the clubhouse and stereotypes to dispel on the field.

When I go out there and take the field, I feel like I’m the biggest person out there, Madrigal said. I feel like when I look at the pitcher, I’m bigger than him, no matter his size. I’ve always tried to prepare that way. I try to practice as hard as I can, try to train as hard as I can, so when I get on the field, I’m the most confident guy out there.

If it all works as Madrigal plans, he and the Beavers will stand tall in Omaha into next week.

Hosmer’s hit in the ninth was in stark contrast to his infield single in the third off starter Chris Stratton. The ball bounced near the plate then rolled slowly down the line as third baseman Pablo Sandoval stood and watched, hoping it would go foul. It didn’t.

I didn’t even know it had a chance of staying fair, honestly, so it was kind of a surprise for me, Hosmer said. I’ll take the free knocks. I need them, that’s for sure.

Manuel Margot had two hits and two RBI as the Padres snapped a five-game skid. Travis Jankowski and Cory Spangenberg added two hits apiece.

Richard (7-6) was dominant in his third start against the Giants this season. He retired 17 straight during one stretch, allowed only two runners past second base and struck out four. The four consecutive wins mark a career high for the left-hander.

We’ve struggled the last five days so it’s good to get back on the right track, Richard said. That’s always a good thing, and to do it against the Giants here, it’s a good win.

San Diego’s bullpen made Richard’s performance hold up, but it was dicey at times.

Green used three relievers to get out of the seventh. Kirby Yates allowed a leadoff single in the eighth before setting down the next three. Brad Hand retired all three batters he faced in the ninth.

Jets safety Rontez Miles is out three-to-four months after having surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his knee, according to NFL Network.

To replace him, the Jets are signing free agent safety J.J. Wilcox, a league source confirmed.

Miles was the Jets’ fourth safety, behind starters Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye. Terrence Brooks was the Jets’ No. 3 safety even before Miles’ injury. Miles was a strong special teams contributor for the Jets, who now need depth at safety, which is why they are signing Wilcox.

Wilcox was a third-round draft pick by the Cowboys in 2013. He started 29 games for them from 2014-15, but he has otherwise been a backup, which will be his role with the Jets. He was with the Steelers last season. He has six career interceptions.

What to make of all this? It’s pretty simple and goes to what Bennett said.

I know Jimmy G is gonna need a big play receiver this year at some point, Owens said. Let’s make it happen. #StayReady #VetMin.

Jimmy G has Pierre Garςon and Marquise Goodwin as the team’s starting receivers. Owens last played in 2010, but he hasn’t given up on his desire to return to action.

Whether Owens is on an NFL team or not, he’ll be on the cover of the Madden 19 Hall of Fame edition.

They need him to play well. He was great in college, but we have no idea who he is as an NFL player because of his shin injury. We’re going to learn a lot about both him and the Raiders secondary in 2018.

Quarterbacks separate themselves on third downs. On the money down, Carson Wentz had the second-highest completion percentage in the league in 2017, per the Washington Post. He was only behind Jimmy Garoppolo, who threw 71 fewer passes on third downs than Wentz.

The former Arkansas center looks as if he’s getting a shot to play left guard with the first-string offense.

He just kind of fits in with the group, coach Matt Patricia said. You’re not really looking at it and saying, ‘That’s out of place,’ like it looks like it’s out of place. I haven’t noticed that at all.

Anyone watching the Lions, especially under former coach Jim Caldwell , noticed they simply couldn’t run the ball well consistently.

That played a part in Caldwell getting fired and Matthew Stafford directing a one-dimensional offense that led to him being sacked 47 times last season.

The Lions didn’t have a true fullback on their roster last season and now they have a pair of them, converting Nick Bellore from linebacker and drafting Nick Bawden in the seventh round. More importantly, they invested a first-round pick in Ragnow to effectively replace Travis Swanson.

On paper should our run game be better? Yeah, probably, Quinn has said. The pieces are there. Now it’s really up to all of us in the building to kind of make sure these guys produce at a high level.

And so it will likely continue, with those opposed to the protests finding fault with certain aspects of the NFL’s new anthem policy and those who support the right to protest finding fault with other aspects of the NFL new anthem policy. As NFL P.R. gaffes go, this one could ending up being one of the worst in recent years, and that’s saying something.

As we said when we lost those guys, we are not trying to replace those guys, Prescott said. Those are guys who are irreplaceable. We can’t say we need you to be the leader Dez was or be the leader Witten was. We have a lot guys and lot of guys who have been in this league that lead, and sometimes they lead by just by example by going out there and not saying a word and giving all their energy, and it pays off and shows. Young guys can look and say that is the way you practice. That is the way you come in and handle your business. Sometimes you don’t have to say anything to do it, and we have those guys. We have the rah-rah guys, the guys who are screaming, the guys who are getting everybody going to make sure the energy is there.

Sean Lee, Dan Bailey and Tyrone Crawford join Prescott as returning captains. Zack Martin and Travis Frederick also have shown leadership ability.