Steven Matz

Steven Matz

35-Year-Old PitcherSP
Tampa Bay Rays
2026 Stats
W-L
4-4
ERA
5.84
WHIP
1.36
K
38
SV
0
Rest-of-Season Projections
W-L
ERA
WHIP
K
SV
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2026 Fantasy Outlook
Once a set piece in a team's rotation, Matz spent the last two seasons with the Cardinals and Red Sox in the bullpen, serving in a long-relief role while making the occasional open. Across 53 outings between St. Louis and Boston in 2025, the veteran pitcher recorded a 3.05 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, two saves (out of five opportunities), 13 holds and a 59:11 K:BB across 76.2 innings. He signed a two-year contract with the Rays, and part of his decision to join Tampa Bay was due to the opportunity to be part of the rotation for the 2026 campaign. Whether Matz is actually part of the Rays' rotation by Opening Day will depend on how well he responds to being stretched out during spring training. If he is a starter, Matz's fantasy value would be tied to his low walk rate and ability to generate weak contact, as his strikeout rate (19.1 percent) ranked in the bottom quarter of the majors in 2025. If he makes his way back to a bullpen role, then Matz would provide more value in leagues that score holds while also being in line for the occasional save opportunity. Read Past Outlooks
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RANKS
Rest of Season
From Preseason
#437
ADP
League Majors
Bats R
Throws L
40 Man Yes
Height 6'3"
Weight 205
DOB 5/29/1991
Born Stony Brook, NY
College None
Drafted 2nd Rd 2009 NYM
Signed a two-year, $15 million contract with the Rays in December of 2025. Contract includes $500,000 trade-assignment bonus.
Moving to bullpen
PTampa Bay Rays
June 6, 2026
Matz will pitch out of the bullpen going forward, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Analysis
Matz has given up 11 earned runs in just 4.2 combined innings between his last two starts, so the Rays will pull him out of the rotation and move him to the bullpen until he rights the ship. Mason Englert is expected to step into the rotation, either as a starter or bulk reliever, and Joe Boyle might be a candidate down the line since he's already started three games for the Rays this season and owns a spot on the 40-man roster.
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Pitching Stats
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2026 MLB Game Log
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2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
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Pitching Appearances Breakdown
Average Pitch Count
65
Last 10 Games
58
Last 5 Games
36
How many pitches does Steven Matz generally throw?
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
What part of the game does Steven Matz generally pitch?
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
% Games Reaching Innings Threshold
% Games By Number of Innings Pitched
Left/Right Pitching Splits
Since 2024
 
 
-25%
BAA vs LHP
2026
 
 
-22%
BAA vs LHP
2025
 
 
-24%
BAA vs LHP
2024
 
 
-26%
BAA vs LHP
BAA Batters K BB H 2B 3B HR
Since 2024vs Left .214 239 40 8 48 8 2 5
Since 2024vs Right .284 472 90 37 122 23 3 21
2026vs Left .211 61 11 3 12 1 0 2
2026vs Right .271 151 27 16 36 7 2 9
2025vs Left .211 129 23 3 26 3 2 3
2025vs Right .276 180 36 8 47 10 1 5
2024vs Left .227 49 6 2 10 4 0 0
2024vs Right .307 141 27 13 39 6 0 7
More Splits→ View More Split Stats
Home/Away Pitching Splits
Since 2024
 
 
-15%
ERA on Road
2026
 
 
-23%
ERA on Road
2025
 
 
-32%
ERA on Road
2024
 
 
-13%
ERA on Road
ERA WHIP IP W L SV K/9 BB/9 HR/9
Since 2024Home 4.76 1.22 79.1 4 4 1 6.9 2.5 1.6
Since 2024Away 4.05 1.30 91.0 6 4 1 6.8 2.3 1.2
2026Home 6.75 1.55 20.0 1 2 0 8.6 4.5 2.7
2026Away 5.22 1.23 29.1 3 2 0 5.8 2.8 1.5
2025Home 3.56 1.07 43.0 2 1 1 6.3 1.3 1.0
2025Away 2.41 1.13 33.2 3 1 1 7.8 1.3 0.8
2024Home 5.51 1.22 16.1 1 1 0 6.6 3.3 1.7
2024Away 4.82 1.57 28.0 0 1 0 6.8 2.9 1.3
More Splits→ View More Split Stats
Stat Review
How does Steven Matz compare to other starting pitchers?
This section compares his stats with all starting pitcher seasons from the previous three seasons (minimum 120 innings)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.

* Exit Velocity, Barrels/BBE %, Balls Hit 95+ MPH %, and Spin Rate are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 120 IP). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
  • K/BB
    Strikeout to walk ratio.
  • K/9
    Average strikeouts per nine innings.
  • BB/9
    Average walks per nine innings.
  • HR/9
    Average home runs allowed per nine innings.
  • Fastball
    Average fastball velocity.
  • ERA
    Earned run average. The average earned runs allowed per nine innings.
  • WHIP
    Walks plus hits per inning pitched.
  • BABIP
    Batting average on balls in play. Measures how many balls in play against a pitcher go for hits.
  • GB/FB
    Groundball to flyball ratio. The higher the number, the more likely a pitcher is to induce groundballs.
  • Left On Base
    The percentage of base runners that a pitcher strands on base over the course of a season.
  • Exit Velocity
    The speed of the baseball as it comes off the bat, immediately after a batter makes contact.
  • Barrels/BBE
    The percentage of batted ball events resulting in a Barrel. A Barrel is a batted ball with similar exit velocity and launch angle to past ones that led to a minimum .500 batting average and 1.500 slugging percentage.
  • Spin Rate
    Spin Rate is the rate of spin on a baseball after it is released. It is measured in revolutions per minute (rpm).
  • Balls Hit 95+ MPH
    The percentage of batted balls hit that met or exceeded the 95 MPH threshold.
  • Swinging Strike
    The percentage of pitches that result in a swing and a miss.
K/BB
2.00
 
K/9
6.9
 
BB/9
3.5
 
HR/9
2.0
 
Fastball
93.3 mph
 
ERA
5.84
 
WHIP
1.36
 
BABIP
.268
 
GB/FB
0.95
 
Left On Base
65.9%
 
Exit Velocity
81.0 mph
 
Barrels/BBE
8.2%
 
Spin Rate
2259 rpm
 
Balls Hit 95+ MPH
21.6%
 
Swinging Strike
9.4%
 
Advanced Pitching Stats
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Defensive Stats
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Stats Vs Today's Lineup
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
A herniated disc in his back limited Matz to just 44.1 innings in 2024, continuing a dubious streak which has seen him make at least one trip to the injured list in all 10 of his major-league seasons. When healthy, the southpaw managed just a 17.4 percent strikeout rate, which was easily his lowest mark over the last seven campaigns. Matz has produced a 2.43 ERA and 27:9 K:BB over 33 innings out of the bullpen over his three seasons in St. Louis and that might be the best route to keep the left-hander healthy and effective at this point. Fantasy relevance seems unlikely regardless of the role he's in.
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.
Fantasy managers hoped that Matz's signing with St. Louis would be a great match for his pitching style and the defensive prowess of the Cardinals. That never materialized because knee and shoulder injuries limited Matz to 48 innings of work and his gopheritis returned after a one year hiatus in the AL East of all places. Matz's 21% K-BB% is the only positive sign of the outcomes of his 2022 effort and a significant gap between his actual and expected ERA point to the potential for him to have a rebound in 2023 if he can get more grounders. He still retains three pitches with whiff rates above 25%, so if you squint at the numbers, there is an Andrew Heaney-like path toward that rebound season. You cannot be faulted for giving this enigmatic lefty one more chance on your fantasy roster, especially with his market value much lower than it was at this point last season.
Matz got lit up during the short 2020 season to the tune of 4.1 HR/9, leading to a 9.68 ERA. He regressed back to his previous results with an ERA near 4.00 last season while striking almost a batter per inning. It was almost a mirror image of his 2018 and 2019 campaigns. Most of Matz's struggles took place in his early-season "home" starts in Dunedin (5.23 ERA) and Buffalo (6.00). He went on to post a 2.12 ERA in Toronto. Now, he moves to an even bigger home park in St. Louis with one of the league's best defenses behind him. One item to keep an eye on is his fastball velocity. Before going on the COVID-IL in mid-June, he had a 9.4 K/9 with his fastball averaging 94.8 mph. After he returned from the injury (around the same time the foreign substance ban got enforced), those dropped to 7.7 K/9 and 94.1 mph. Matz has never been a consistent pitcher and it'll be interesting to see which version shows up in 2022.
When you look up the word enigma in the dictionary, you will find Matz's picture as an illustration of the word. For all of his potential, we have seen few results to back it up. This past season saw him strike out one of every four batters he faced, but that is the entire success story. Full stop. Matz was blasted around the strikeouts, allowing 14 homers in 30.2 innings of work. It was so bad, Jose Lima and Bert Blyleven felt bad for him. Add in 42 hits allowed and 10 walks, and it is pretty easy to figure out how a talented arm went 0-5 with a 9.68 ERA. The big blue wave of 2020 turned out to be Matz's Statcast page as he finished in the bottom 10th percentile in nearly every measure available. The Blue Jays bought low in an offseason trade, which may provide Matz the change of scenery he needs to right the ship. He should slot into the middle of Toronto's rotation.
Aside from a two-week stint on the injured list in May, Matz did well in his efforts to shed the "injury prone" label, making 30-plus starts for the second straight year while covering a career-high 160.1 innings. The improved health seemingly hasn't translated to much meaningful skills growth, however, as Matz's 4.23 xFIP and 14.5 K-BB% over the past two seasons are just about in line with his career marks (4.01 and 14.8%). Now 28 years old, Matz may never become the No. 2 starter that once seemed like a possibility when he broke into the majors in 2015, but he still maintains usefulness as a mid-rotation or back-end arm for both a real-life or fantasy pitching staff. Ideally, fantasy managers would maximize Matz's utility by keeping him active primarily for his home starts. He owns a 3.47 ERA at Citi Field for his career, including an exceptional 2.31 mark over 89.2 innings in 2019.
Matz exceeded the limited expectations set by his shaky health history, establishing career highs in starts and innings after offseason elbow surgery. The lefty kicked his K/9 back toward 9.0 and thrived in his home starts (3.59 ERA). Unfortunately, he endured another harmful HR/9 and posted a career-worst BB/9, leading the ERA estimators to paint a less rosy picture. The lefty dealt with a flexor pronator sprain in his left elbow in August but rebounded with a 2.51 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 32.1 September innings. In the end, he had a 10.4 K/9 in the second half. Matz worked to establish a repeatable delivery, and if the 26-year-old can build on his velocity gains and limit damage from right-handed batters (1.66 HR/9), his true breakthrough could still happen. You shouldn't have to pay for another 30 starts, which helps Matz's appeal.
After having bone spurs removed from his elbow prior to the 2017 campaign, Matz opened the season on the disabled list with renewed elbow discomfort. He came off the DL at the beginning of June and pitched 13 games before undergoing season-ending surgery to correct a nerve issue, again in his elbow. While active, Matz changed his approach in an effort to preserve his health. During the 2016 season, Matz threw his slider 10.4 percent of the time. That figure fell to 4.3 percent in 2017 -- he ditched the offering completely for a while. The change harmed his performance and resulted in a 6.08 ERA and 1.53 WHIP, career-worsts for the 26-year-old lefty. The long ball was detrimental to Matz, who gave up home runs at an alarming rate of 1.63 HR/9. Matz is expected to be ready for spring training and should have a rotation spot, but he is about as high risk of an arm as there is in baseball.
Unfortunately, nothing about Matz's outlook changed in 2016. He was seen as a high-end No. 3 starter with durability concerns, and sure enough, he posted a 3.39 FIP and 129:31 K:BB in 132.1 innings but missed the final six weeks of the season with a shoulder injury. He did not need shoulder surgery, but he did have an offseason procedure to remove a bone spur from his elbow, further adding to the litany of arm issues on his resume at the age of 25. At his best, Matz pairs a mid-90s sinker that can miss bats with above-average secondaries in his curveball and changeup. His 51.1 percent groundball rate ranked 18th among starters with 130-plus innings, and for a sinkerballer, his 23.6 percent strikeout rate is pretty impressive. Matz will enter spring training as the Mets' No. 4 starter, and he will be appropriately discounted in drafts due to the durability concerns. If he ever stays healthy for a full season, his owners will enjoy the profits.
Already flush with an obscene amount of pitching, the Mets called up Matz in late June and he appeared ready to join the conversation as the next big thing along with his young rotation-mates. His first two starts were 13.2 IP of a 1.32 ERA and 0.88 WHIP with 14 strikeouts and five walks. A torn lat muscle halted his speedy ascent and cost him two months, but he was good in September and throughout the postseason with a 3.19 ERA across 36.2 IP. The skills aren’t really in question, even after just 50 IP (regular & postseason), but health was an issue coming up through the minors and seeing him hit the DL after just two MLB starts is worrisome. At the same time, this kind of profile can net big returns as long as the price isn’t through the roof. Betting on health when the skills are already in place is a worthy gamble and a better use of resources than hoping for skills growth in areas of weakness.
Tommy John surgery prevented Matz, a 2009 second-rounder, from debuting as a pro until 2012. He wouldn’t make his full season debut until a year later, and while the numbers were impressive, he was as a 22-year-old in A-ball. Matz took a big step forward in 2014, not only with another injury-free season during which he managed a career-high innings total (141), but he dominated yet again, splitting time between High-A and Double-A with a low-2.00s ERA in both. He works at 92-94 mph from the left side with solid command. His slow curve can be a plus pitch and should also miss bats regularly. The growth of his changeup will determine his future. When right, it looks great, but it is inconsistent. He has made up for the missed time and now sits on the doorstep of the big leagues, but the Mets may not have a need anytime soon. Consider Matz a worthwhile pick in leagues with minor league focus, otherwise wait until he is in the majors to act on him.
Matz, the Mets' top selection in the 2009 draft, had a slow recovery from May 2010 Tommy John surgery, finally pitching this year in the minors. He made the most of the year, tossing an impressive season for Low-A Savannah and posting a 2.62 ERA with 121 strikeouts over 106.1 innings. He has a fastball that tops out around 94 mph in addition to a good feel for his curveball and changeup. Matz was added to the 40-man roster in November to protect him from the Rule 5 draft, and he should begin 2014 at High-A St. Lucie.
More Fantasy News
Mauled by Tigers
PTampa Bay Rays
June 3, 2026
Matz (4-3) took the loss Tuesday, coughing up five runs on six hits over 1.2 innings as the Rays were routed 8-0 by the Tigers. He struck out two without walking a batter.
Analysis
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Tagged for six runs during loss
PTampa Bay Rays
May 27, 2026
Matz (4-2) took the loss Wednesday against the Orioles, allowing six runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out two over three innings.
Analysis
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Works in tandem in return
PTampa Bay Rays
May 20, 2026
Matz didn't factor into the decision Wednesday, allowing one run on three hits and two walks over four innings in the Rays' 5-3 victory over the Orioles. He struck out five.
Analysis
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Activated ahead of start Wednesday
PTampa Bay Rays
May 20, 2026
Tampa Bay reinstated Matz (elbow) from the 15-day injured list ahead of his scheduled start Wednesday against the Orioles, Ryan Bass of Rays.tv reports.
Analysis
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Cleared to return Wednesday
PTampa Bay Rays
Elbow
May 18, 2026
Matz (elbow) will return from the 15-day injured list to start Wednesday's game against the Orioles, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Analysis
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Bullpen move not permanent
PTampa Bay Rays
June 6, 2026
Rays manager Kevin Cash told Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times that Matz's move to the bullpen is "not by any stretch permanent."
Analysis
According to Topkin, Mason Englert could step in as Matz's replacement in the rotation, but a six-man rotation later in the season can't be ruled out. Matz's move to a relief role came in the wake of the veteran southpaw allowing 12 runs in 8.2 innings since coming off the IL in mid-May. However, Matz does have plenty of experience coming out of the bullpen, having made 51 of his 53 regular-season appearances in that capacity last season for the Cardinals and Red Sox.
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