Acquired all-star relief pitcher for Cardinals to strengthen their bullpen depth
In a move that's certain to shake up the St. Louis Cardinals' bullpen, John Mozeliak has made a surprising addition: Tyler Matzek, a former World Series star now joining their ranks.
The Cardinals' relief corps has shown improvement since their initial struggles this season, but with the ambition to sustain a high level of performance all season, reinforcements were needed. And now, they've taken their first step towards strengthening the squad.
St. Louis Cardinals bring in Tyler Matzek on a minor league deal
Matzek, once designated for assignment by the New York Yankees, signed a minors contract with the Cardinals and is set to report to Memphis. His short stint with the Yankees this year saw a 4.26 ERA in 6.1 innings, striking out seven batters. The Yankees evidently felt they didn't require his services any longer.
Signed to the Yankees during the offseason, Matzek has demonstrated remarkable success as a reliever, posting a 2.92 ERA across 132 games from 2020 to 2022 while striking out more than 10 batters per nine innings with the Atlanta Braves. Boasting a 1.48 ERA in 20 postseason games for his career, Matzek was a key player on the Braves' World Series championship team in 2021.
Matzek's lasted Tommy John surgery at the end of 2022 kept him out for the entire 2023 season, and he only threw 10 innings in the majors in 2024. Given this, it's no wonder that the Cardinals are taking a calculated gamble by signing him to a minor league deal.
Matzek, a southpaw, can give the Cardinals the left-handed depth they've been lacking. JoJo Romero's performance has been inconsistent this year, and John King hasn't been productive, making Steven Matz the most dependable lefty in the bullpen. Although Matz has been productive, the Cardinals need more options, particularly considering their practice of using Matz in roles other than high-leverage situations.
Matzek isn't a guaranteed solution to the problem, but this move represents an intriguing roll of the dice to see if he can enhance the bullpen. Matzek's fastball velocity averaged 94.5 MPH with the Yankees this year, slightly above his post-injury velocity and similar to his last healthy season with the Braves, although he was touching 96 MPH during his career year.
Matzek primarily relies on his four-seam fastball, supplemented by a slider and occasional sinker. If he wants to be productive for St. Louis, he needs to prove that his fastball is back in top form.
For now, Matzek will head to Memphis in anticipation of a call-up to the St. Louis bullpen. With a stretch of 28 games in 29 days approaching, Matzek will likely get an opportunity to join the Cardinals this month, and if he excels, could claim one of the lefty roles from King. We'll keep tabs on Matzek's performance in Memphis for the time being.
Tyler Matzek, a former MLB player and World Series champion with the Atlanta Braves, has joined the St. Louis Cardinals on a minor league deal. Matzek's left-handed pitching could provide the depth necessary to bolster the Cardinals' bullpen, particularly with inconsistent performances from JoJo Romero and John King.
