By Miguel Mike Medina
Photo Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images
The Tampa Bay Rays signed veteran left-handed pitcher Steven Matz on a two-year deal worth $15 million in total.
The 34-year-old spent the 2025 season with the St Louis Cardinals and was then traded to the Boston Red Sox, posting a 5-2 record with a 3.05 ERA. He only walked 11 over 76 innings.
Matz has an average fastball velocity of between 92 and 94 miles per hour. He has a solid curveball, sinker, and changeup.
Matz is becoming a journeyman. He began his career with the New York Mets. He spent his first six seasons in Queens. Matz made an immediate impact in his first season. In 6 starts, Matz went 4-0 with a 2.27 ERA and 34 strikeouts.
He was part of an outstanding pitching rotation alongside Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, and Noah Syndergaard. These four men together contributed to the Mets’ success by winning the NL East division title and making a run to the 2015 World Series. The Mets lost to the Kansas City Royals in five games.
After the Mets, he has played for other organizations, including the Toronto Blue Jays, St. Louis Cardinals, and Boston Red Sox. He spent four seasons with the Cardinals, but he will mostly be remembered for his time with the Mets. Matz had a career high of 14 wins as a pitcher during his one season with the Blue Jays in 2021.
We would always wonder what his career would’ve been like had he never had to deal with so many injuries. Before making it to the pros, he underwent Tommy John Surgery in 2010. In his first full season in the majors, Matz suffered a partially torn left lat muscle. He finished 9-8 that season and sixth in the NL Rookie of the Year voting.
Other injuries he suffered throughout his career include bone spurs in the left elbow, ulnar nerve/forearm issues, forearm tightness, a strained finger, left shoulder impingement, a torn MCL, a left lat strain, bouncing between starter/bullpen roles, and a herniated disc in the back.
These injuries have caused him to undergo surgery and limited his movements. The Rays are hoping he can stay on the field and help their rotation by racking up wins and decreasing earned runs.
The Rays recently earned the No. 2 overall pick in the MLB Draft lottery. Let’s see what’s next on their plans.
Miguel Mike Medina is the publisher of The MMM Journal. He can be reached at medinamiguelmike@gmail.com and themmmjournal@gmail.com
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