Steven Matz

New York Yankees: Potential 2020 trade targets

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Bob Nightengale tweeted out yesterday that the New York Yankees had their scouts on the prowl for another starting pitcher. The Yankees just lost Luis Severino to Tommy John. The New York Yankees next starter in line would have been James Paxton who has had injury concerns his entire career, and will start this season on the IL. Can the Yankees really depend on James Paxton to stay healthy for the rest of the season? After Paxton, you have Tanaka and Happ who have always been known as durable workhorse starters. Jordan Montgomery is currently slotted for the fourth spot, but he’s also coming off Tommy John, and we have yet to see him pitch a full outing. A bunch of unproven youngsters are vying for that fifth spot in the rotation currently. The Yankees have a team that is poised to win the entire thing this year. They cannot see another missed opportunity because they didn’t have the starting pitching. Yes, they arguably have the best pitcher in the game in Gerrit Cole, but Cole needs a quality supporting cast. He had that a month ago, but the two best pitchers behind him have gone down. Now, the Yankees will be exploring trade targets to sure things up in the rotation, and give the Yankees some cushion going into the second half of the season.

Trade Targets

Mike Minor

Mike Minor had a fantastic season in 2019. Minor pitched to a 14-10 record with a 3.59 ERA and struck out 200 batters. Minor is a solid veteran lefty for the Texas Rangers. The Yankees had discussions with the Rangers last year when it came to Minor, but nothing ever got remotely close. Minor is in the final year of his contract, and if the Rangers are not in the playoff hunt come July, Minor could be a guy that the Yankees try to acquire for the stretch run of 2020.

Robbie Ray

Robbie Ray is another guy who is in a walk year. Ray had an up and down season in 2019 where he went 12-8 with a 4.34 ERA, but he struck out 235 batters in 174.1 innings. Ray has sick stuff when he’s on, but the home runs are a little bit of a concern. The Yankees have liked Ray for years and there was a rumor circulating the last deadline that a deal was being discussed involving Clint Frazier. That deal obviously never materialized, but the Yankees were definitely involved with Ray. It would not surprise me at all if the Yankees got a high strikeout guy like Robbie Ray for the back of the rotation.

Trevor Bauer

Oh, wouldn’t this just be interesting? It is well-known that Gerrit Cole and Trevor Bauer are not extremely fond of each other. Could that change in a situation where they both helped lead the Yankees to the 2020 World Series? I’ve seen some fans online talk about the fact that the Yankees have been interested in Bauer for a while, but I’m not sure they would invite the drama into the dugout. The Reds are seemingly going all-in on the 2020 season. Bauer is another guy who is in a walk year, and if they are not where they want to be at the deadline, he could be a guy they look to move. It’s possible the Yankees would explore the possibility if Bauer were to become available.

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Steven Matz

It feels like every year we do this with the New York Yankees and the Mets. Every year there is a starting pitching trade that is being “discussed” between the two clubs. A couple of years ago there were rumors the Yankees were going after deGrom and Syndergaard. Last year, the Yankees were going after Zack Wheeler, and here we are again with the Yankees being interested in Steven Matz. Matz is a solid pitcher who could fill in multiple roles with the Yankees. He could slot right into the rotation, but he could also be a long weapon for the Yankees out of the bullpen. Either way, he would make for an interesting acquisition when it comes to the Yankees. However, the odds of the Mets and Yankees actually doing a bigger deal are slim to none.

What is most likely?

Those are just four names that the New York Yankees could target for starting pitching help. Minor and Ray are the most likely if the Yankees were to attack the starting pitching market. Matz is the only one on the list with control beyond 2020, but again, I just don’t see that happen. The Yankees are definitely on the prowl for starting pitching relief, but it won’t be something that they break the bank over. They won’t deal with their top-line prospects, and they won’t acquire anyone with a hefty price tag. Expect the Yankees to really go after guys who are in their walk years like Minor and Ray.

New York Mets: Matz won’t acknowledge trade rumors unless he hears them himself

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A couple of days ago, rumors surfaced about a potential interest from the New York Yankees in acquiring New York Mets‘ starter Steven Matz. A deal is already unlikely because of how little time before the season the two squads would have to come to an agreement, and because the Mets won’t just give their homegrown lefty away.

Now, after looking at Matz’ remarks to the press when questioned about the Yankees’ supposed interest, any trade seems even more unlikely.

At one point, he couldn’t escape the rumors: after the report came out, his phone was about to explode with texts from friends.

“Of course, being from New York, all my friends are either Yankees or Mets fans,” Matz said to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. “That was the only thing. I understand the rumor mills, and unless I hear it myself, I’m not going to acknowledge it.”

Matz had a 4.21 ERA in just over 160 innings last season. He was a steady presence in the New York Mets’ rotation, and even though the team added some pieces to the staff this time around, he still has a great chance of sticking in the unit.

The Mets added some pieces

Despite the Mets adding Michael Wacha and Rick Porcello to the rotation, Matz is focused on winning his spot. “As the offseason goes along, those thoughts cross your head,” Matz said. “But like I said, I think Brodie is a pretty good communicator with that stuff. Whatever transpires, I think he would come to me and tell me.”

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said on Tuesday that he hasn’t talked to anybody about trading for a pitcher.

“We have not reached out to one club looking for anything,” Cashman said. “So I can tell you at this stage, we have not engaged with any team about, ‘What do you [have] available? What are you trying to do?’ It’s pretty early and we might very well have all the answers in camp. Doesn’t mean we won’t [reach out], but we’re still trying to determine what we have and what we don’t have in terms of the alternatives. And we like what we see.”

New York Mets send Steven Matz home with an illness

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Simeon Woods-Richardson

New York Mets‘ left-hander Steven Matz keeps making the news over the last few hours. A day after a report from the New York Post saying that the Yankees have asked about him amid their injury crisis, the Queens’ squad sent him home with an illness.

According to David Lennon, the southpaw left the Mets’ camp on Tuesday with an undisclosed illness. He was going to throw a bullpen session, which was skipped as a result of this health-related bump.

However, the Mets still plan to have him start Friday’s game, which is his scheduled day. That could change if his health doesn’t cooperate, but it doesn’t seem like it is a big deal. He should be back out there soon.

The Mets have a desirable trade piece in Matz

Matz, who had a fine season in 2019, is said to be a target for the New York Yankees. They have a surplus of batters and some exciting prospects, so they have the resources to swing a deal. The arbitration-eligible Matz wouldn’t come cheap, though.

Last season, Matz had a 4.21 ERA with a 4.60 FIP in 160.1 innings. He struck out 8.59 hitters per nine innings, with a 2.92 BB/9 mark. Since the Fangraphs’ version of WAR is dictated by FIP, his 1.6 doesn’t seem so high, but he was a solid starter for the Mets as they mounted a postseason rally that ultimately fell short.

The primary issue remains how little time the two teams have to hammer out a deal. The Mets won’t certainly give Matz away, much less to the New York Yankees, especially this close to the start of the regular season.

For now, Matz remains a member of the New York Mets, and odds are he will stay that way. While this latest health-related setback may be somewhat concerning, it doesn’t sound like a big issue.

The Mets currently have six capable rotation pieces in Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Marcus Stroman, Rick Porcello, Michael Wacha and Matz.

New York Mets: Drive Up the Price for Steven Matz

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New York Mets, New York Yankees, Steven Matz

Rumors have surfaced of the New York Mets and New York Yankees discussing Steven Matz’s name in trade talks. The Yankees already have James Paxton, Luis Severino, and Domingo German currently missing time. For a rare time, the Mets have leverage over the Yankees and should draw out the process as long as possible.

The rumors are only in the beginning stages at the moment, but the Yankees are in desperate need of starting pitching. Matz has shown inconsistencies that prevent him from becoming a front line start but is still serviceable for 30 starts. The Mets should use their leverage to get precisely what they want. Should the Yankees struggle to meet the Mets’ expectations, they keep Matz.

Who Can They Receive

Miguel Andujar is automatically the first name to come up, but it looks to be a long shot. Andujar has more value than Matz and is a legitimate bat to throw in any lineup. The Mets can get other pieces with similar value to Matz. The only way the Mets settle for anything less than Andujar is if they can unload Jed Lowrie at the same time.

Andujar has to be the goal for the Mets. He is an All-Star level third baseman who quickly plugs into the lineup. The Mets cannot settle for anything less due to their lack of depth behind their six starters. Any trade between the crosstown rivals is always fun to ponder but have very low chances of happening in reality.

New York Mets: Here is why a Matz trade to the Yankees is highly unlikely

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The New York Yankees, once with a very deep rotation, are down three men now. Luis Severino was lost for the year with an elbow injury, James Paxton will miss the next few weeks and Domingo German remains suspended for 60+ games. As a result, they have looked at the trade market and, reportedly, set their sights in the New York Mets‘ left-hander Steven Matz.

Deals between the two New York teams aren’t particularly common or frequent. And while a trade has the potential to make sense for both teams – let’s not forget that the Yankees have the depth and the prospects to pique the Mets’ interest – it is highly unlikely to occur.

The reason why a potential deal is not likely to happen is because of the timing. Yes, the Mets have extra depth in the rotation, but spring training games are being played at this point. The organization prepared to have six capable starters and it probably won’t change the course with the season about to start.

The New York Mets depth would disappear if they trade Matz

The Mets, given Michael Wacha’s injury story, would be smart to keep Matz and maintain their depth. Right now, they have six starters for five spots: Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Marcus Stroman, Rick Porcello, Matz and Wacha. Prospects David Peterson and Kevin Smith may be ready to contribute in the second half depending on their progression in Triple-A.

Given the proximity of the start of the season, the Yankees may have to overpay yo lure the Mets. And it’s highly unlikely they go that route, even though they have the pieces.

Sportswriter Michael Baron wrote in his Twitter account that the Yankees, for a deal to happen, would need to be “willing to do something crazy. Matz should be in the Mets rotation in all scenarios unless he is hurt. Also, he is the only left-handed starter on their active roster. Trading him makes them weaker.”

Andy Martino of SNY seconded that, reporting that, according to sources on both sides, “the Yankees would have to make a very aggressive offer to get Matz and probably wouldn’t be willing to go as far as Mets would require.”

The Mets are said to be interested in Miguel Andujar, but it’s unclear if the Yankees are willing to part with him. There just isn’t enough time to work out the details of a deal.

Report: New York Yankees looking into Steven Matz after starting pitching woes

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New York Mets, New York Yankees, Steven Matz

Evidently, the New York Yankees succumbed to injuries once again before the 2020 regular season even started. With a few weeks left of Grapefruit League play, the starting rotation for the Yankees has been stripped of top talent. With Luis Severino set to miss the entire 2020 campaign and James Paxton recovering from lower back surgery, the unit could use an injection of quality.

The New York Post is reporting that the Yankees have reached out to New York Mets management to gauge their interest in potentially sending Steven Matz across town to the Bronx. The sudden shortage of pitching for the Yankees opens up a dialogue for the Mets to potentially gain value from Matz. Reportedly, they are willing to listen, but the amount the Yankees would have to give up in a potential deal might be significant.

What would the New York Yankees be getting in Steven Matz?

Last season, Matz posted an 11–10 record, with a 4.21 ERA over 32 games pitched. However, he posted a career-high in strikeouts (153), but also a high in home runs allowed (27). This can be directly correlated to his innings pitched, though, as his 160.1 innings of work was also a career-high. Overall, Matz endured one of the more strenuous seasons he’s ever experienced in the MLB in his five-year career.

The Yankees desperately need help at the end of the starting rotation; otherwise, they can simply utilize a bevy of different options to supplement the loss of Paxton and Domingo German, who are expected to return in May and August respectively. Pitchers like Michael King, Jonathan holder, and Jonathan Loaisiga could operate in a three-man rotation in the meantime. While I don’t expect the Yankees and Mets to come to a conclusion, talks are being held, and we shouldn’t rule out the possibility of a potential deal going down.

New York Mets: Steven Matz says he is a starter but will do whatever the team needs

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New York Mets, New York Yankees, Steven Matz

The New York Mets may find themselves in an awkward position when it’s time to decide on a fifth starter. It is widely assumed that Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard and Marcus Stroman will be in the rotation, but the next two spots are unclear at this point.

It doesn’t really make much sense to give $10 million to a pitcher and not have him starting games, which is Rick Porcello’s case. That is a strong indication that he will also be in the rotation alongside the previously mentioned trio.

The fifth spot will likely be decided late in spring training. Both Michael Wacha and Steven Matz have been pitching really well. However, it is also true that both of them want to start. It could be a problem for the Mets to approach one of them and tell him he would be a reliever from now on.

A very good spring

Wacha has recently said that the Mets hired him to start games and that’s what he intends to do. Matz, on the other hand, had a very good outing on Sunday. He pitched two scoreless innings in the 2-1 victory against the Houston Astros.

“I think I’m a little bit more [of the mindset], ‘A starting pitcher starts games,’” Matz said to MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo when asked about the possibility of the Mets using openers before his outings. “But whatever I can do to help the team win, that’s what I’m going to do. I’m not going to really complain about it, whatever they really decide. Right now, they told me I’m a starter, so I’m going in as a starter right now and we’ll see what happens. But I kind of like a starter starting the game. That’s my preference.”

Matz notoriously struggles in first innings. He had a 6.21 ERA in that frame last season, compared to a 3.76 mark after that.
The Mets have reportedly considered the idea of using openers in front of Matz or Wacha and picking the best matchup for any of the two when it’s their turn. Nothing has been set in stone yet.

“It’s definitely intriguing, but for me personally, it’s just my whole career, I’ve never done that,” Matz said. “I’m used to starting, warming up for the game, long-tossing, all that stuff. So I think that stuff is different. We’ve never done it in the big leagues with the Mets really, so I don’t know how it is. I don’t know what it’s like.”

The Mets have quality options

It remains a possibility that Wacha or Matz win the job in a more traditional way. And, although it is unlikely, Porcello could lose his spot with a terrible spring. However, he has been pitching well for the New York Mets.

“Right now, I’m a starter, building up as a starter,” Matz said. “And so I’m just trying to get better every day. We’ve got a lot of good pitchers in camp. It’s a great thing for us looking toward our goal of winning the World Series. I’m really not looking at it as a competition, just whatever I can do right now to be the best I can be to help the team this season.”

Matz Strong Outing Helps Give the New York Mets a Win

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All of Steven Matz’s Spring Training starts for the New York Mets will be watched with heavy scrutiny. Matz took the mound for his second start against the Houston Astros and pitched very well. The offense was quiet once again but the pitchers delivered in the seven innings following Matz.

For good reason, Matz sees himself as a starter and its proving why so far. Over two innings of work, he allowed one hit and struck out one. Another promising sign for Matz is the other five outs recorded all came on ground balls. Compared to Michael Wacha and Rick Porcello, Matz has the upper advantage as the calendar turns to March.

Polar Bear in Hibernation

Pete Alonso continued his slow start to Spring Training. He went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and dropped his average to .067 for the Spring. There is still plenty of time to get himself right but as each day passes the struggles grow more and more concerning.

Brandon Nimmo and Michael Conforto both mixed in hits and stolen bases in their efforts. The third stolen base came from Dominic Smith as the Mets continue to push their initiative of being more aggressive on the bases.

The minor leaguers got the job done to secure a victory. Will Toffey started the ninth-inning rally with a walk and it was followed by a Jake Hager double to tie the game. Max Moroff traded places with Hager to tie the game and steal the lead from the Astros.

The minor league relievers cost the Mets some games early in the Spring but they were dominant on Saturday. The six pitchers combined to pitch seven innings, allowing five hits, two walks, one run and struck out seven batters. Jordan Humphreys and Adonis Uceta combined for 1-2-3 innings in the eighth and ninth to secure the win and save respectively.

Split Squad Sunday

Jacob deGrom makes his Spring debut at Port St. Lucie against the Washington Nationals. Michael Wacha makes his second start of the Spring against the Miami Marlins in Jupiter.

New York Mets Bullpen Solid in Tie Against Cardinals

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On day two of Spring Training, the New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals finished in a 3-3 tie. Jake Marisnick‘s solo home run, Ryan Cordell‘s double and a J.D. Davis sacrifice fly accounted for the three Mets runs.

Like most early Spring Training games, the big league ready arms threw the first half of the game. Steven Matz threw the first inning for the Mets and allowed a leadoff home run to Harrison Bader. Matz settled in to retire the following three batters and struck out one. His much-improved charge-up looked good during his one inning of work.

Bullpen Dominance

The slimmed-down Jeurys Familia took over after Matz in the second inning. He worked around a couple of baserunners to pitch a scoreless second. Familia is back to throwing his sinker, slider, and splitter full time and featured each of them during his inning. He threw a couple of sinkers in the high 90s but mostly worked in the 93-95 range.

Brad Brach took over for the third and allowed a couple of baserunners but also struck out two. He was throwing in the high 80s, but his change-up looked in midseason form. The double Brach allowed mostly had to do with Tim Tebow playing left field. It was a tough play, but most Mets outfielders make the play.

Robert Gsellman put together a quick but eventful inning. It started with an Andres Gimenez error, followed by possible double play turned into a fielders choice, and the final batter flew out into a double play on a failed hit & run. Tyler Bashlor‘s one inning of work featured a strikeout, and his curveball was his best pitch with his velocity sitting at 93-95.

Minor league relievers finished off the rest of the game with Franklyn Kilome as the only one to allow runs. He allowed a line drive two-run homer to Edmundo Sosa, which tied the game. Velocities from most pitchers on both sides seemed lower than usual. It either had to do with pitchers still getting themselves game-ready along with the radar gun reading not playing as key a role it does in the regular season.

It was a solid day for the key Mets relievers, which will be something to build on as the first full week of games starts. We still have not seen Edwin Diaz pitch, and his Spring debut will be the most anticipated of Spring Training.

New York Mets: Takeaways from Steven Matz’ Sunday spring start

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In their third spring training game of the year, the New York Mets and the St. Louis Cardinals played to a 3-3 tie in Clover Park on Sunday.

Left-hander Steven Matz yielded one run in his one-inning Grapefruit League debut. It came on a leadoff home run by Cardinals outfielder Harrison Bader.

At that point, the southpaw settled in and retired the next three hitters he faced, one via the strikeout. Matz, 28, is currently battling to secure a rotation spot: newcomers Michael Wacha and Rick Porcello are his competitors. The loser will go to the bullpen.

“I recognize logistically what we have before us, which ultimately is a good problem to have,” Matz said after the game to MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo. “For me personally, I’m going to just try to maximize my stuff the best I can … and just try to be the best I can, and make the most progress I can from last season right now.”

The Mets’ lefty is trying to improve his 2019 numbers

Matz had a good, if unspectacular 2019 season. He registered a 4.21 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, and 153/52 K/BB ratio over 160 1/3 innings last year. According to Fangraphs, he accrued 1.6 fWAR.
In the first inning of games, Matz posted a 6.21 ERA. The number went all the way down to 3.76 over the rest of his frames.

“Some days, you just feel like you don’t have it,” Matz said. “And so sometimes, you’ve got to just trust — trust that what you have, all the work you put in, all the preparation that you put in, that it’s going to be there, instead of, ‘I don’t feel like I have a good curveball today,’ so you shy away from it or whatever. You put in all these hours of work, just trust it, go out and execute. That mentality, I think translates well for me.”

Wacha is slated to pitch tomorrow while Porcello did it on Saturday, while Porcello allowed one run on two hits on his inning of work against the Miami Marlins on Saturday.

The first home run of the New York Mets’ spring came on Sunday, courtesy of center fielder Jake Marisnick. It was a laser to left-center field against Adam Wainwright.

Marisnick, J.D. Davis and Ryan Cordell had RBI against the Cards on Sunday.