Cardinals' Tyler Matzek: Inks minors deal with Cardinals
Rotowire
The Cardinals signed Matzek to a minor-league contract Thursday.
The Cardinals previously inked Matzek to a minor-league deal back on June 3, but he was released this past weekend before he had made an appearance in the organization. Now that the Cardinals have brought him back on a new deal, Matzek has been assigned to Triple-A Memphis, where he will provide left-handed relief depth.
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Tyler Matzek: Becomes free agent
Rotowire
Matzek elected to become a free agent Monday.
Matzek passed through waivers unclaimed after the Yankees removed him from their 40-man roster, but the reliever has declined an outright assignment and will look for a new contract. The left-hander has permitted three runs on 11 hits and five walks over 6.1 innings in the majors this season. Matzek might have to accept another minor-league contract.
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Yankees' Tyler Matzek: Booted off 40-man roster
Rotowire
The Yankees designated Matzek for assignment Friday.
Matzek made seven relief appearances for the Yankees after recovering from an oblique strain and had a lot of traffic on the bases, yielding three runs on 11 hits and five walks over 6.1 frames. The left-hander hasn't been healthy and effective since 2021, but he shouldn't have trouble landing a minor-league contract.
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Yankees' Tyler Matzek: Added to roster
Rotowire
The Yankees selected Matzek's contract from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday.
Matzek signed a minor-league contract in February and probably would have made the Opening Day roster if not for an oblique injury suffered in March. He's healthy now and has joined the active roster after allowing two runs with a 7:2 K:BB over 5.2 innings in the minors. Matzek will give manager Aaron Boone another left-handed relief option.
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Yankees' Tyler Matzek: Returns from Triple-A IL
Rotowire
Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre reinstated Matzek from its 7-day injured list Wednesday.
Matzek made his debut for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in Wednesday's 7-4 loss to Rochester, striking out three and allowing two hits over two scoreless innings. The left-hander opened the season on the IL after sustaining an oblique strain in early March, but he was cleared to join the Triple-A bullpen after making a one-inning rehab appearance for Single-A Tampa on Sunday. The 34-year-old will look to string together more quality appearances for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre as he aims to earn a call-up to the Yankees. His contract contains a May 1 opt out if he isn't promoted to the big leagues before then.
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Yankees' Tyler Matzek: Nearing rehab assignment
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Manager Aaron Boone said Friday that Matzek (oblique) is close to beginning a minor-league rehab assignment and could join the big-league bullpen by the end of April, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
Matzek inked a minor-league deal with the Yankees in February but suffered a strained oblique during Grapefruit League play Feb. 25. The 34-year-old left-handed reliever missed all of 2023 recovering from Tommy John surgery and pitched just 10 innings in the big leagues with Atlanta last season, turning in a 9.90 ERA and 10:3 K:BB across 11 regular-season appearances.
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Yankees' Tyler Matzek: April return likely
Rotowire
Manager Aaron Boone said Thursday that Matzek (oblique) is trending toward returning from the injured list in April, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.
Boone said that Matzek "isn't far behind" fellow reliever Ian Hamilton (infection) in his recovery and noted that the latter is expected back in early April. However, Matzek doesn't own a spot on the Yankees' 40-man roster, so he'll almost certainly be sent down to Triple-A once he's healthy.
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Yankees' Tyler Matzek: Throwing bullpen Thursday
Rotowire
Matzek (oblique) has resumed his throwing program and is scheduled for a bullpen session Thursday, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.
Matzek was diagnosed with an oblique strain in early March, and he could start the regular season on the injured list. He threw a bullpen Monday and will need to have more sessions without suffering a setback before facing live hitters. Matzek appeared in 11 regular-season games for Atlanta in 2024 and posted a 9.90 ERA and 1.90 WHIP across 10 innings after missing most of the season due to an elbow issue.
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Yankees' Tyler Matzek: Expected to miss a few weeks
Rotowire
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Friday that Matzek (oblique) has a "pretty good strain" and will be sidelined a few weeks, Greg Joyce of the New York Post reports.
Matzek hasn't appeared in a Grapefruit League game since Feb. 25 due to an oblique strain. The good news is Boone noted that Matzek is now asymptomatic and could resume a throwing program Monday. The lefty reliever had been in line to make the team as a non-roster invitee, but he now won't be ready for Opening Day.
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Yankees' Tyler Matzek: Donning pinstripes
Rotowire
Matzek agreed to a minor-league contract with the Yankees on Monday, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
Matzek reportedly impressed at a recent showcase, enticing the Yankees to extend him a contract. The veteran southpaw struggled in 2024 while with Atlanta, posting a 9.90 ERA with 10 strikeouts over 10 innings at the big-league level, but he's success in the past in the majors, having turned in sub-4.00 ERAs in three straight seasons from 2020 through 2022. His minor-league deal presumably includes an invitation to MLB spring training that will allow him to compete for a spot in New York's Opening Day bullpen.
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Braves' Tyler Matzek: Back with Atlanta
Rotowire
Matzek (elbow) signed a minor-league contract with Atlanta on Saturday and will report to Triple-A Gwinnett.
Matzek has spent parts of the last five-plus seasons with Atlanta and had occupied a spot on the big club's 60-day injured list before he was dealt to the Giants in July. The left-hander began a rehab assignment with the Giants' Triple-A affiliate Aug. 13, but he wasn't activated before San Francisco released him last week. Now back in the Atlanta organization, Matzek is ostensibly healthy now after making five rehab appearances and will look to impress at Gwinnett over the next couple of weeks with the hope of earning a promotion to the big club.
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Giants' Tyler Matzek: Put on waivers
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The Giants placed Matzek (elbow) on waivers Wednesday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chroniclereports.
Matzek has been on the shelf since early May due to elbow inflammation, and he's given up three earned runs over 4.2 innings with Triple-A Sacramento since beginning a rehab assignment Aug. 13. He's trending toward a return from the 60-day injured list sometime in September and can now be picked up by another team that is willing to pay the remainder of his salary for the season. If he passes through waivers unclaimed, the 33-year-old southpaw will remain with the Giants.
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Giants' Tyler Matzek: Initiates rehab assignment
Rotowire
Matzek (elbow) began a rehab assignment at Triple-A Sacramento last week and has given up two runs (one earned) on one hit and one walk while striking out a batter across two innings over his two appearances.
Matzek had resided on Atlanta's injured list since early May while recovering from elbow inflammation before he was dealt to San Francisco on July 29. The left-hander completed his throwing progression shortly after joining his new organization and is now in the midst of a rehab assignment that could be extended into September if the Giants aren't satisfied with his results at Sacramento. He's scheduled to make his next appearance for the Triple-A club Tuesday, according to MLB.com.
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Giants' Tyler Matzek: Dealt to San Francisco
Rotowire
San Francisco acquired Matzek (elbow) and minor-league infielder Sabin Ceballos from Atlanta on Monday in exchange for right-handed reliever Luke Jackson and outfielder Jorge Soler, Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Matzek has been out early May while dealing with inflammation in his throwing elbow and isn't expected to return from the 60-day injured list until late August or early September. The left-hander has struggled to a 9.90 ERA and 1.90 WHIP with 10 strikeouts over 10 innings in 11 appearances out of the bullpen with Atlanta this season. Once healthy, Matzek will likely operate in a low-leverage role out of the Giants bullpen.
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Braves' Tyler Matzek: Out with elbow inflammation
Rotowire
Atlanta placed Matzek on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with left elbow inflammation, Grant McAuley of 929 The Game reports.
Matzek missed the entire 2023 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery and has struggled in 2024, collecting a 9.90 ERA and 10:3 K:BB across 10 relief innings. It's not clear at this point how long he might be sidelined. Ray Kerr is up to take Matzek's spot in Atlanta's bullpen.
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Braves' Tyler Matzek: Velocity nearly back
Rotowire
Matzek touched 95 mph with his fastball during Sunday's Grapefruit League appearance, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
The southpaw's velocity is nearly back to what it was prior to his October 2022 Tommy John surgery, and Matzek certainly looked healthy enough Sunday as he struck out four Red Sox over two perfect innings in a split-squad game. Considering he didn't pitch at all in 2023, Atlanta will likely ease him back into action with lower-leverage duties to begin the season, but a return to the form that saw him post a 2.57 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 29.2 percent strikeout rate and 24 holds over 63 innings in 2021 doesn't seem far off.
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Braves' Tyler Matzek: Will return soon
Rotowire
Matzek (side) is expected to return to Grapefruit League play in the next few days, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
Matzek hasn't been available for a few days while dealing with some left side soreness, but he threw a bullpen session Monday and it sounds like he's mostly over the issue. The southpaw reliever has made three scoreless appearances this spring and looks ready to rejoin Atlanta's bullpen after missing all of 2023 following Tommy John surgery.
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Braves' Tyler Matzek: Expected back in spring
Rotowire
Atlanta general manager Alex Anthopoulos said Friday that Matzek (elbow) is expected to be ready for spring training, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
After undergoing Tommy John surgery in October 2022, Matzek resumed throwing in late May and remains on pace to return to Atlanta's bullpen for the start of 2024. The 32-year-old lefty holds a 2.92 ERA and 1.22 WHIP since joining the team in 2020.
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Braves' Tyler Matzek: Shifts to 60-day IL
Rotowire
Matzek (elbow) was placed on the 60-day injured list Thursday, retroactive to March 27.
Matzek's move to the 60-day IL was only a matter of time after he underwent Tommy John surgery in October. He was also dealing with a bulging disc in his back during spring training. The veteran left-hander will miss the entire 2023 campaign while recovering and rehabbing from the elbow procedure.
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Braves' Tyler Matzek: Recovering from bulging disc
Rotowire
Matzek (elbow) is recovering from a bulging disc in his back, Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
The bulging disc is in addition to his ongoing recovery from Tommy John surgery. Matzek underwent the reconstructive elbow procedure in October and will miss the entire 2023 campaign. He should be fully recovered from both issues come the start of spring training in 2024.
