The general narrative is that Matz's four-year, $44 million contract with the Cardinals was a big blunder, but he quietly began flipping the script last season. The first year of the deal (2022) was definitely a disaster, as he struggled to a 5.25 ERA over only 48 innings (10 starts, five relief appearances) while battling serious shoulder and knee injuries. A lat strain ended his 2023 campaign several weeks early, but Matz had a 3.86 ERA with 98 strikeouts in 105 total innings when healthy. He secured a locked-in rotation spot down the stretch and registered a 1.86 ERA and 38:7 K:BB over his final seven starts. It's difficult to project how this might all translate into the 2024 season, but the 32-year-old southpaw will essentially be free in most fantasy leagues. Read Past Outlooks