1. Early Life and Amateur Career
Steven Matz's formative years were deeply rooted in his Long Island upbringing, where his passion for baseball was nurtured from a young age through family influence and early training. His high school career was particularly notable for a memorable rivalry and significant individual achievements that set the stage for his professional journey.
1.1. Childhood and Family Background
Steven Matz was born on May 29, 1991, in Stony Brook, New York, as the second child of Ron and Lori Matz. He has an older brother, Jonathan, and a younger sister, Jillian. The Matz family, including his grandparents, were devoted fans of the New York Mets. His father, Ron, coached a travel baseball team and worked as a service manager at a Jeep dealership in West Islip, New York. His mother, Lori, was an administrative employee at Comsewogue High School in Port Jefferson Station, New York.
Matz began playing baseball at the age of 8 in the Three Village Little League. By age 10, he started receiving pitching lessons from former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher Neal Heaton. As a child, Matz attended Nassakeag Elementary School within the Three Village Central School District. He considered becoming a firefighter as a child and even contemplated it as an alternative career path when dealing with injuries early in his baseball journey.
1.2. High School Baseball Career
Matz attended Ward Melville High School in East Setauket, New York, where he excelled as both a pitcher and a first baseman for the school's baseball team. He played varsity baseball starting from his freshman year, during which his fastball velocity consistently averaged 90 mph. Matz first caught the attention of scouts from the New York Mets organization during a baseball showcase tournament in 2008, and their interest in him grew over the subsequent years. By his senior season, MLB scouts regularly attended his starts.
Matz developed a notable high school rivalry with Marcus Stroman, who later became his teammate with the New York Mets. Stroman was a pitcher for the nearby Patchogue-Medford High School. Despite their rivalry, Matz and Stroman were teammates on the elite travel team, the Paveco Storm, for several years during junior high and high school. They were also roommates during the Area Code Games and pitched against each other multiple times in high school. One particularly significant game occurred on April 16, 2009, drawing more than 50 scouts from every MLB team. This game is widely regarded as one of the best in the history of Long Island high school baseball. In that contest, Matz struck out 12 batters and allowed just one hit, leading his team to a 1-0 victory. Stroman, his opponent, countered with 14 strikeouts and allowed three hits, with both pitchers throwing complete games. Mets scout Larry Izzo later described it as "one of the best duels I've ever seen."
In his senior season, Matz achieved an impressive 6-1 record, allowing only two earned runs and 14 hits over 54 innings pitched with 74 strikeouts, resulting in a 0.47 ERA. His pitching efforts helped Ward Melville secure its first league title in 34 years. Additionally, he demonstrated his two-way talent with a .408 batting average, including nine doubles, six home runs, and 34 RBIs. For his outstanding performance, Matz was named Newsday's Long Island Player of the Year and received the Yastrzemski Award as the best high school baseball player in Suffolk County, New York. Following his stellar amateur career, 40 different NCAA Division I schools attempted to recruit Matz to their college teams.
2. Professional Career
Steven Matz's professional career began with significant challenges but ultimately saw him rise through the ranks to become a prominent Major League pitcher, notably for the New York Mets, before moving to the Toronto Blue Jays and then the St. Louis Cardinals. His journey has been marked by both impressive performance and a persistent battle with injuries.
2.1. Minor Leagues
The New York Mets selected Steven Matz in the second round of the 2009 Major League Baseball draft, as the 72nd overall pick, in the same year he graduated from high school. He was the first player ever drafted directly out of Ward Melville High School. The Mets, who did not have a first-round pick that year, did not anticipate Matz falling to them in the second round. Some Mets scouts believed his draft position drop was due to playing high school baseball in the Northeast, an area not traditionally known for producing high-round talent. Matz, who had initially sought a signing bonus of 1.10 M USD, received inquiries from three other teams, including the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox, but ultimately chose to sign with the Mets, a deal finalized minutes before the August 15 signing deadline for a bonus of 895.00 K USD. He had previously committed to playing college baseball for the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers at Coastal Carolina University and had a flight scheduled for his orientation there the next day.
In 2010, while pitching in an instructional league, Matz experienced elbow discomfort. He was diagnosed with an 80 percent tear in his ulnar collateral ligament of the elbow and underwent Tommy John surgery on May 18, 2010. His recovery period lasted two years, during which he regularly rehabbed with fellow Mets organization pitcher Jacob deGrom. The two became close friends and often shared a house in Port St. Lucie, Florida during spring training. Matz did not make his professional debut until 2012, pitching for the Kingsport Mets of the Rookie-level Appalachian League. Initially, he continued to feel elbow pain, and doctors were unsure if the implanted ligament had fully healed, but advised him to test it by playing and throwing with maximum effort. Eventually, the pain subsided. With Kingsport, Matz compiled a 2-1 record and a 1.55 ERA over 29 innings pitched.
Before the 2013 season, Matz, acting on the advice of Frank Viola and Ron Romanick, worked on developing a curveball to replace his slider. That year, he pitched for the Savannah Sand Gnats of the Single-A South Atlantic League, where he posted a 5-6 record with a 2.62 ERA and recorded 121 strikeouts in 106 and one-third innings pitched. During the playoffs, Matz delivered 12 and two-thirds shutout innings with 17 strikeouts for Savannah. He pitched seven shutout innings in a Southern Division-clinching game against the Augusta Greenjackets on September 6, 2013, and subsequently led the team to the 2013 SAL championship on September 13, throwing five and two-thirds innings and striking out nine batters in a 2-0 victory over the Hagerstown Suns.
The Mets added Matz to their 40-man roster on November 20, 2013, protecting him from being selected in the Rule 5 draft. He started the 2014 season with the St. Lucie Mets of the High-A Florida State League, where he had a 4-4 record and a 2.21 ERA in 69 and one-third innings pitched, earning a spot on the league's All-Star team. In June, he was promoted to the Binghamton Mets of the Double-A Eastern League. With Binghamton, Matz compiled a 6-5 record with a 2.28 ERA and 69 strikeouts over 71 innings. He pitched the game that clinched the Eastern League championship for Binghamton in 2014, striking out 11 batters and allowing no hits through seven innings as Binghamton defeated the Richmond Flying Squirrels 2-1 on September 12. Following the 2014 season, the Mets recognized Matz as their Organizational Pitcher of the Year.
Matz began the 2015 season with the Las Vegas 51s of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. In 15 starts for Las Vegas, he achieved a 7-4 record with a 2.19 ERA, which was the best ERA in the league. He also maintained an impressive 9.4 strikeouts per nine innings, leading all qualified starting pitchers in the Pacific Coast League, alongside 94 strikeouts over 90 and one-third innings. Notably, Matz also demonstrated his proficiency at the plate with a .304 batting average. Across four seasons with five teams in his minor league career, Matz posted an overall 2.28 ERA and never allowed more than two runs in consecutive starts.
2.2. New York Mets
2.2.1. 2015 Season
Steven Matz was called up to the New York Mets to join a six-man pitching rotation for the 2015 season, alongside Bartolo Colón, Jacob deGrom, Matt Harvey, Jon Niese, and Noah Syndergaard. He became the first Long Island high school pitcher to make his MLB debut with the Mets since Ray Searage in 1981.
Matz made his highly anticipated MLB debut against the Cincinnati Reds at the Mets' Citi Field on June 28, 2015. His first MLB pitch was a wild pitch to Brandon Phillips, who then hit a home run in the same at-bat. Despite this, Matz earned the win, allowing two runs, five hits, and three walks, while striking out six batters over 110 pitches in seven and two-thirds innings, as the Mets defeated the Reds 7-2. In an extraordinary display of two-way talent, Matz, using a bat gifted to him by Las Vegas teammate Matt Reynolds, recorded three hits as a batter and drove in four runs. His first major league at-bat resulted in a two-run double against pitcher Josh Smith. Matz was the first pitcher in MLB history to achieve that many hits and RBIs in his debut game, and the 11th player at any position to do so. He was also the seventh pitcher since 1914 with three or more hits in his first game, and the first since Jason Jennings of the Colorado Rockies in 2001. Furthermore, Matz was the first pitcher and the 26th player in any position in the last 100 years to record four RBIs in his MLB debut. He was also the first Mets pitcher in franchise history to record three or more hits in his debut, and the first Met in any position to have four RBIs in his first game. He was the sixth Mets pitcher with four RBIs in any game, and the first since Dwight Gooden in 1990.
In his second start, Matz pitched six scoreless innings, striking out eight and allowing two hits in a win against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He maintained a 1.32 ERA, with 14 strikeouts and five walks over 13 innings across his first two games. Shortly after, Matz was placed on the disabled list for two months due to a partial tear in the latissimus muscle in his left side. He returned to the pitching rotation on September 6, earning a no-decision, but went on to win his next two consecutive starts. Following a 5-1 victory against the New York Yankees on September 18, Matz became the first player in Mets history to allow two runs or fewer in each of his first five career starts. He concluded the regular season with a 4-0 record, a 2.27 ERA, and a 1.23 WHIP over six starts, accumulating 34 strikeouts in 35 and two-thirds innings pitched. Matz experienced back soreness caused by spasms behind his right shoulder blade near the end of the season, which forced him to miss his final regular season start and threatened to sideline him again. However, he persevered and remained in the Mets pitching rotation during the team's postseason run. He made three postseason starts: one each in the National League Division Series (NLDS), National League Championship Series (NLCS), and World Series.
Matz pitched in Game 4 of the NLDS, allowing three earned runs in the third inning in a 3-1 home loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, marking his first loss in the major leagues. He also started in Game 4 of the NLCS against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, allowing one earned run in four and two-thirds innings. He was pulled from the game with a 6-1 lead and two outs in the fifth inning. The Mets won the game 8-3, clinching the pennant. Matz then pitched in Game 4 of the World Series, with the Mets trailing the Kansas City Royals 2-1 in the series. He allowed two runs on seven hits and recorded five strikeouts, notably allowing only one hit in the first four innings. Mets manager Terry Collins allowed Matz to bat for himself in the fifth inning and then kept him in to pitch in the sixth. With the game tied 2-2, Matz allowed a double from Ben Zobrist and a run-scoring single from Lorenzo Cain, giving the Royals the lead before Matz was pulled. Matz received a no-decision as Kansas City won the game 5-3, and they went on to win the World Series in Game 5.
Matz concluded his postseason with a 3.68 ERA across his three starts and was the only Mets starting pitcher without a postseason win. The Mets pitching rotation had a combined 3.43 ERA in 2015, which was the fourth-best in the league. Matz finished the season with a .286 batting average and a .643 OPS. Following the 2015 season, Matz, deGrom, Harvey, and Syndergaard were honored with the Joe DiMaggio Toast of the Town award by the New York chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America.
2.2.2. 2016 Season
Matz earned a spot on the Mets' Opening Day roster in 2016 as the fifth starter in their rotation, joining Colón, deGrom, Harvey, and Syndergaard. Despite his experience with the Mets in 2015, Matz was still considered a rookie player in 2016 due to the significant amount of time he missed the previous year.
Matz began the season with what was then the worst start of his career, surrendering seven runs before being pulled in the seventh inning of a 10-3 loss to the Miami Marlins. However, Matz quickly rebounded, winning his next seven consecutive starts, bringing his record to 7-1 and his ERA to 2.36 by May 25. During this impressive streak, he allowed two runs or fewer in every game, marking the best such streak in the majors at that time, and becoming only the fifth MLB rookie since 1920 to achieve such a long run. In May, he posted a 4-0 record across five starts with a 1.83 ERA, recording 31 strikeouts while batters hit just .180 against him. He maintained a streak of allowing two or fewer earned runs in nine consecutive starts from April 17 to June 7. By the end of May, he led all rookie pitchers in wins (seven), ERA (2.60), and strikeouts (53). He was named National League Rookie of the Month for May, becoming only the third Mets player to receive that distinction, following Justin Turner in 2011 and Jacob deGrom in 2014. Matz was also considered a strong contender for the National League Rookie of the Year.
In early May, Matz was found to have a large bone spur in his throwing elbow, though doctors confirmed there was no ligament damage. Matz attempted to continue playing through the bone spur after receiving medical assurances that it would not cause additional damage to his elbow. He received a cortisone shot, and the team hoped he could defer surgery until the offseason. Matz threw eight innings for the first time in his career on May 25, allowing no runs and retiring 16 consecutive batters against the Washington Nationals in a 2-0 victory. As of June 10, Matz's ERA stood at 2.39, the best among rookie starters, and he was averaging 17.9 seconds between pitches, the quickest in MLB. However, his elbow discomfort returned in June, and in a 13-game stretch from May 13 to August 9, he posted a 1-7 record and a 4.42 ERA. Matz threw a career-high 120 pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks on August 9. In his next start against the San Diego Padres on August 14, Matz did not allow a hit until a single in the eighth inning on his 105th pitch.
While warming up for an August start, he felt a twinge in his left shoulder, seemingly unrelated to his bone spur. Following his August 14 start, Matz was placed on the disabled list due to a left shoulder impingement. Matz underwent rehabilitation for his left shoulder in September and attempted to return to the pitching rotation several times, with the team hoping to utilize him in the Mets bullpen before the season's end. However, he was shut down for the season later that month and underwent surgery in October to remove the bone spurs, which formally ended his season. Matz finished the 2016 season with a 9-8 record, a 3.40 ERA, a 1.21 WHIP, and 121 strikeouts. He made 22 starts and pitched 132 and one-third innings, both of which were career highs at the time. Despite losing Matz, as well as deGrom and Harvey, to season-ending injuries, the Mets pitching rotation still finished 2016 with the third-best ERA in the league. Matz received one third-place vote for 2016 National League Rookie of the Year, placing him in a three-way tie for sixth place with Jon Gray and Seung-hwan Oh. The Mets advanced to the 2016 playoffs, but lost the National League Wild Card Game to the San Francisco Giants.
2.2.3. 2017 Season
At the beginning of the 2017 season, MLB heavily marketed the Mets pitching rotation of Matz, Jacob deGrom, Matt Harvey, and Noah Syndergaard as the "Four Horsemen of Queens," implying they could be "the best staff in baseball" in a promotional commercial.
Matz missed the first two months of the 2017 season due to elbow inflammation. At the time, team doctors believed it might have been a side effect of his bone spur surgery from the previous fall, and prescribed platelet-rich plasma injections and rest. Matz stated that the injury was a strained flexor tendon in his elbow, though this specific diagnosis was not officially made by the Mets' doctors. Matz made his first start of the season on June 10. He performed well in his initial five starts, posting a 2.12 ERA and logging at least six innings in each game, including back-to-back scoreless starts on June 28 and July 3.
However, in his subsequent six starts between July 9 and August 6, Matz's performance declined, resulting in a 0-4 record with an 11.03 ERA and a 2.20 WHIP. During this period, he allowed 29 earned runs and 46 hits. Matz surrendered a career-worst seven earned runs in less than two innings during his July 16 start against the Colorado Rockies, which also marked the shortest start of his career up to that point. In late August, doctors determined Matz had ulnar nerve irritation in his left elbow. He required season-ending surgery to decompress and reposition the ulnar nerve, a procedure similar to one deGrom underwent in 2016. After it was announced Matz would require surgery, it was revealed he had been skipping bullpen sessions between starts and limiting the use of his slider to lessen the strain on his elbow. This raised questions about whether he was healthy enough to pitch in the first place, though Matz affirmed it was ultimately his decision to continue. Matz pitched just 66 and two-thirds innings in 13 starts in the 2017 season, compiling a record of 2-7 with a 6.08 ERA and 45 earned runs allowed.
2.2.4. 2018 Season
Matz successfully recovered from his injuries in time for the start of the 2018 season, experiencing minimal injury troubles throughout the year. He secured a spot in the Mets' starting rotation during spring training. His first start of the season, against the St. Louis Cardinals on April 1, saw him last just four innings, allowing four hits, three walks, and three runs. This marked the third time in nine starts that he failed to complete more than four innings, bringing his record over that span to 0-7, with a 9.82 ERA and a 2.02 WHIP. He notched a victory against the Milwaukee Brewers on April 13, his first recorded win since June 28, 2017, ending a streak of seven consecutive losses and 11 starts with either a loss or no-decision. He failed to pitch beyond four innings in two additional starts in April.
Matz allowed no runs in a 5-0 win against the Milwaukee Brewers on May 24, marking his first start with no runs since July 3, 2017. He held a 3.31 ERA through his first 13 starts of the season until June 16, allowing 24 earned runs over 65 and one-third innings. He recorded a 2.91 ERA in 13 starts between May 5 and the All-Star break in mid-July, and maintained a 2.25 ERA in road starts for the season. Matz and fellow Mets pitchers deGrom, Syndergaard, and Zack Wheeler combined for a 3.07 ERA heading into the All-Star break, the second-best of any MLB pitching rotation behind only the Houston Astros' 3.02 ERA. In his first three starts following the All-Star break, Matz struggled significantly, allowing 16 runs in 11 and two-thirds innings, for a 12.35 ERA.
Matz tied a career high with nine strikeouts against the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 26. However, he followed that performance with a July 31 start against the Washington Nationals in which he was pulled after recording just two outs and allowing seven runs on eight hits in two-thirds of an inning, marking the shortest start of Matz's career and matching his career-high in runs allowed. The game concluded with a 25-4 loss, the most lopsided in Mets' history, and caused Matz's season ERA to rise from 3.79 to 4.35, compared to 3.21 before the All-Star break. Matz was placed on the disabled list for two weeks in early August due to a flexor pronator strain in his left elbow. On September 1 against the San Francisco Giants, Matz struck out a career-high 11 batters over seven innings, allowing three hits, one run, and one walk. Matz hit his first career home run on September 13, 2018, against Miami Marlins pitcher Sandy Alcántara, which was the first home run by a Mets pitcher in 2018. Matz hit another home run in his very next start on September 18 against Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola, becoming only the third Mets pitcher to homer in consecutive appearances, joining Tom Seaver (1972) and Ron Darling (1989).
Matz posted a 4.97 ERA in the second half of the year, with no-decisions in each of his final six starts and no wins in his final 10. He delivered eight quality starts and maintained a 2.90 ERA in his final 10 home outings of the season. Matz concluded the 2018 season with a career-high 30 starts, a 5-11 record, a 3.97 ERA, and a 1.25 WHIP, accumulating 152 strikeouts and 58 walks over a career-high 154 innings. A total of 15.4 percent of balls put in play against Matz were line drives, the lowest rate in MLB for a pitcher throwing at least 140 innings, while 48.8 percent of those in play against him were grounders, the ninth-highest percentage in the National League. Matz significantly improved his strikeout-to-walk ratio from 11.8 in the first half of the season to 18.6 by the end. He allowed 28 stolen bases in 2018, the second-highest amount of any major league pitcher, second only to Mets teammate Syndergaard's 32. On average, Matz took 19.5 seconds between pitches during the season, making him the second-fastest among 336 pitchers in the league who threw at least 50 innings, behind only Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Brent Suter's 18.6 seconds.
2.2.5. 2019 Season
To prepare for the 2019 season, Matz adopted a new training method, practicing light throwing nearly the entire offseason, starting in mid-October and taking only two weeks off, a routine inspired by fellow Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom. On January 11, 2019, Matz and the Mets reached a one-year contract agreement worth 2.63 M USD, avoiding salary arbitration and increasing his salary more than fourfold from the previous season's 577.00 K USD.
Matz recorded a 0.87 ERA across his first two starts of the regular season, lowering his ERA to 2.14 over his previous 10 starts. However, his first two starts of 2019 resulted in no-decisions, extending a franchise-record streak to eight consecutive no-decisions since September 1, 2018, with no wins in 12 starts since July 26 of that year. Nevertheless, Matz delivered five strong starts in his first six appearances in 2019, resulting in a 3-1 record. The one exception was his worst game of the season on April 16, when he allowed eight runs (six earned) and recorded zero outs against the Philadelphia Phillies before being pulled in the first inning. This marked his highest run total allowed in a single game for the season and caused his ERA to jump from 1.65 to 4.96. Matz became one of only six pitchers in MLB history to face eight batters and retire none, the ninth pitcher since 1908 to pitch less than one inning and allow at least eight runs, and the first Met to do so since Bobby Jones in 1997.
Aside from that outlier performance, Matz notched three quality starts in his final four April appearances and maintained a 3.86 ERA across 35 innings in his first seven starts through May 3, allowing two or fewer runs in all but one of those games. After missing two weeks in May due to radial nerve discomfort in his left forearm, Matz achieved a career-best 9.07 K/9 by May 23, and his walk rate of 2.62 per nine innings was significantly better than his average from the previous year. Matz entered June with a 4-3 record, a 3.55 ERA, and a 1.34 WHIP, having pitched at least six innings and allowing two runs or fewer in four of his past six starts. His ERA was the best among the Mets' starting pitchers at the time. Also at the start of June, Matz boasted a 3.03 ERA and a .224 opponent batting average (74-331) over his previous 17 starts since August 21, 2018, which ranked as the 12th-best ERA and 10th-best opponent average in the National League during that period.
Matz struggled in most of his June starts, beginning with a June 2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks where he surrendered five runs over six innings. Despite matching career-highs in strikeouts (10) and pitches (120) in a 5-3 win against the Colorado Rockies on June 8, he lost his next two starts, having surrendered at least five runs in three of his last five starts. These games were followed by a June 24 start against the Philadelphia Phillies in which Matz was charged with seven earned runs on 10 hits over four and one-third innings, including three home run, which brought his road ERA to 7.07 for the season. Matz concluded June with a 7.36 ERA through his six starts in the month, allowing eight home runs in 29 and one-third innings, and bringing his season total of first-inning home run allowed to 10. On July 2, Matz was temporarily moved to the Mets bullpen but returned to the starting rotation after the All-Star break.
Matz finished the first half of the season with a 4.89 ERA and a 5-6 record, notable for an 11.40 ERA in the first innings across all his starts for the season. Over his next three outings, Matz achieved a 2-0 record with a 1.89 ERA, 15 strikeouts, and two walks. This included his first complete-game shutout on July 27, where he threw 99 pitches, recorded seven strikeouts, and allowed five hits as the Mets defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-0. It marked the eighth time in Mets history that a pitcher threw a shutout in under 100 pitches (a feat known as a Maddux), and the first time since Johan Santana accomplished it in 2012. Matz and the rest of the Mets' starting rotation recorded a post-All Star Break ERA of 2.62 through August 7, the best in the majors at that point, which significantly contributed to placing the Mets back into Wild Card contention despite finishing the first half of the season 10 games under .500. By August 20, Matz held a 2.81 ERA and a 3-1 record across his seven starts and 41 and two-thirds innings since the All-Star break, striking out 38 batters and allowing just three home runs, and recording a quality start in five of his previous six games. He also allowed no runs during the first innings of each of those seven starts, bringing his first-inning ERA down to 8.14.
After throwing six shutout innings in a 9-0 win against the Arizona Diamondbacks on September 11, Matz improved to a 7-1 record and a 1.94 ERA in 2019 home games. However, Matz surrendered seven earned runs on six hits in his final road start of the season on September 16, including six runs in the fourth inning alone, in a 9-4 loss to the Colorado Rockies. This game brought his road ERA to 6.62 for the season, in stark contrast to his 1.94 ERA at home at the time. Matz gave up the first grand slam of his career against Jorge Alfaro of the Miami Marlins on September 23. Matz allowed six earned runs on nine hits in the 8-4 loss, which critically hampered the Mets' chances of making the playoffs. Matz concluded his season with six shutout innings and seven strikeouts in a win against the Atlanta Braves during his final start on September 28. This marked the 20th time in two years that he held his opponents to fewer than four hits in a game.
Matz finished the season with an 11-10 record, marking his first winning record since 2016. He ended 2019 with a 4.21 ERA, a 1.34 WHIP, and 52 walks, as well as new career-highs in strikeouts (153) and innings pitched (160 and one-third).
2.2.6. 2020 Season
Matz experienced a significant regression in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. He started the season with an 0-4 record and a 9.00 ERA in his first four starts before being removed from the Mets' starting rotation. Matz was placed on the injured list on August 29 due to left shoulder discomfort, which kept him sidelined for three weeks. He concluded the season with an 0-5 record and a 9.68 ERA across nine games (six starts).
2.3. Toronto Blue Jays
On January 27, 2021, the Mets traded Matz to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for right-handed pitchers Sean Reid-Foley, Yennsy Díaz, and Josh Winckowski.
On July 24, 2021, Matz faced the Mets at Citi Field for the first time since his trade to the Blue Jays. Mets fans gave him a standing ovation upon his return. Matz pitched five and two-thirds innings, giving up four hits, including two earned runs from a Pete Alonso home run in the first inning, and three walks while striking out five, in a 3-0 loss. This loss marked his fifth of the year.
On August 22, Matz notably gave up Miguel Cabrera's 500th career home run in the sixth inning of a game against the Detroit Tigers. In 2021, Matz posted a 14-7 record with a 3.82 ERA and 144 strikeouts in 150 and two-thirds innings over 29 starts. His 14 wins tied for second in the American League. Following the season, he became a free agent on November 3.
2.4. St. Louis Cardinals
On November 29, 2021, Matz and the St. Louis Cardinals finalized a four-year contract worth 44.00 M USD, which included options for up to 4.00 M USD in performance incentives. He made 15 appearances (10 starts) for the Cardinals in 2022, missing half of the year due to injuries, and compiled a 5.25 ERA with 54 strikeouts over 48 innings. Matz made 25 appearances (17 starts) for St. Louis in 2023, registering a 4-7 record and a 3.86 ERA with 98 strikeouts across 105 innings pitched.
Matz began the 2024 season as part of the Cardinals' rotation, but struggled to a 6.18 ERA in 6 starts. He was placed on the injured list with a lower back strain on May 3, 2024, and was later transferred to the 60-day injured list on June 28. Matz was activated from the injured list on September 1.
3. Pitching Style
Steven Matz employs a pitching repertoire that primarily relies on his sinking fastball, which averages between 92 mph and 94 mph and can reach a peak velocity of 95 mph. This pitch constitutes over 60% of his total pitches. In addition to his sinker, he throws a curveball, a changeup, and a slider, in descending order of frequency.
His curveball velocity typically averages between 76 mph and 78 mph, while his changeup averages between 81 mph and 83 mph. His slider, a harder pitch, averages around 90 mph. Matz possessed a strong fastball from an early age, but during his minor league career, he intentionally focused on developing his curveball to integrate it into his pitching repertoire as a replacement for his slider.
According to Baseball Prospectus, Matz demonstrates "smooth mechanics with little wasted movement," characterized by a strong front-side pitching motion, quick arm movements, and consistent repetition of mechanics. In a 2014 scouting report for the website, Jeff Moore observed that "if the change-up continues to develop, he'll have three offerings he can throw any hitter at any time," referring to his fastball, curveball, and the developing changeup. Moore also noted that Matz's fastball velocity is generated with minimal effort and that he effectively positions it on the outer half of the strike zone for right-handed hitters. Regarding his curveball, Moore stated: "It's not a power curveball, but the break is tight and sharp. Because he changes eye levels, he will get some swings and misses. Left-handed hitters will be uncomfortable."
In 2019, Matz primarily relied on his sinking fastball, which averaged 94 mph, and his changeup, averaging 85 mph, while also incorporating a curveball (averaging 79 mph) and a slider (averaging 90 mph). According to the website Brooks Baseball, Matz's sinker "generates a high number of swings & misses compared to other pitchers' sinkers, has well above average velo and results in somewhat more flyballs compared to other pitchers' sinkers." They describe his changeup as diving "down out of the zone, is slightly firmer than usual and has slight armside fade." His curveball is noted for "sweeping glove-side movement and is slightly harder than usual." Finally, his slider is described as being "thrown extremely hard, is basically never swung at and missed compared to other pitchers' sliders, has primarily 12-6 movement, results in many more groundballs compared to other pitchers' sliders and has less than expected depth."
During the 2019 season, Matz made a minor adjustment to his pitching position on the mound, moving from the first base side to the middle, which contributed to greater comfort and improved performance. All of his pitches, including his sinker, curve, changeup, and slider, consistently demonstrate high strike rates, typically ranging from the high 60s to over 70 percent. Despite his sinker-heavy approach, he maintains a notable number of strikeouts.
4. Personal Life and Philanthropy
Steven Matz's life off the field is characterized by strong family ties, a deep Christian faith, and extensive community involvement through various charitable endeavors.
4.1. Family and Relationships
Matz is married to Taylor Cain, a Christian music singer and guitar player who performs in the band CAIN alongside her siblings Madison and Logan Cain. Matz was introduced to Cain by fellow Mets player T. J. Rivera and his wife, Ashton, who attended college with Cain at Troy University in Troy, Alabama. In November 2015, Cain experienced a severe illness involving potentially fatal kidney problems, but she made a full recovery, which her doctor described as "a miracle."
Matz proposed to Cain on November 12, 2016, at a friend's house in Yaphank, New York, on a dock overlooking a pond that he considered one of his "favorite places on Long Island." Matz and Cain were married on December 9, 2017, in Nauvoo, Alabama. Fellow Mets players Jacob deGrom and Brandon Nimmo were part of Matz's wedding party. Conversely, Matz also served as a groomsman in deGrom's wedding. In August 2022, they welcomed their first child, a daughter, and are expecting another child in October 2024. During the offseason, Matz resides with his wife in Nashville, Tennessee, where Cain lives. When he played for the Mets, Matz also maintained an apartment in Long Island City.
4.2. Faith and Hobbies
Matz is an openly devout Christian and has spoken about his faith. Although he was raised as a non-practicing Lutheran, he deepened his spiritual commitment after attending a Bible study group during his time in the minor leagues. He subsequently joined a non-denominational church, Calvary Chapel, in Queens. Outside of baseball, Matz enjoys hobbies such as hunting and fishing. His musical tastes include Christian music, country music, and classic rock. The Se-Port Deli in East Setauket, a place Matz and his high school teammates frequently visited in their youth, features a "Matz" hero sandwich named in his honor.
4.3. Community Involvement and Charitable Initiatives
Steven Matz has been actively involved in various charitable efforts throughout his career. In late 2015, Matz and his wife, Taylor Cain, traveled to Honduras for a charity excursion with the Hearts 2 Honduras foundation, providing assistance to impoverished children.
In April 2016, Matz launched his own charity initiative, 'Tru 32,' which aims to honor and support first responders from the New York City Fire Department (NYCFD), New York City Police Department (NYPD), and the U.S. Military. Initially, the program invited these first responders to attend Mets games for free. The initiative later expanded to offer scholarships for children of individuals who died in the line of duty. The number 32 in the charity's name corresponds to Matz's jersey number.
Matz has also dedicated efforts to raise funds for Angela's House, a Long Island-based charity that supports families caring for children with special healthcare needs. He established an online program called "Steven's Strikeouts" to benefit Angela's House, pledging to match the first 10.00 K USD in donations. Due to his significant charitable contributions, Matz was nominated for the Major League Baseball Players Association's Man of the Year Award in 2017 and was also the New York Mets' Marvin Miller Man of the Year nominee in the same year. In 2018, he was the Mets' nominee for the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award, which recognizes baseball players for their community involvement, philanthropy, and positive contributions both on and off the field. In May 2018, Matz participated in The Viscardi Center's Celebrity Sports Night, an event held to raise funds for the Albertson-based organization, which provides schools and training for children and adults with severe physical disabilities.
Beyond his organized charities, Matz has made personal contributions to his local community. He has donated equipment to the Three Village Little League, where he played as a child, and has participated in baseball clinics at his alma mater, Ward Melville High School.
5. Career Statistics
Steven Matz's MLB career statistics for pitching and fielding are detailed below.
5.1. Pitching Statistics
| Year | Team | G | GS | CG | SHO | GF | W | L | SV | HLD | WPCT | IP | H | R | ER | BB | HBP | HR | SO | AVG | WHIP | ERA | FIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | NYM | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 35.2 | 34 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 34 | .259 | 1.23 | 2.27 | 2.80 |
| 2016 | NYM | 22 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 0 | .529 | 132.1 | 129 | 53 | 50 | 31 | 2 | 5 | 129 | .256 | 1.21 | 3.40 | 3.39 |
| 2017 | NYM | 13 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | .222 | 66.2 | 83 | 46 | 45 | 19 | 2 | 3 | 48 | .308 | 1.53 | 6.08 | 4.09 |
| 2018 | NYM | 30 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 0 | .313 | 154.0 | 134 | 77 | 68 | 58 | 2 | 10 | 152 | .232 | 1.25 | 3.97 | 3.92 |
| 2019 | NYM | 32 | 30 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 10 | 0 | 1 | .524 | 160.1 | 163 | 83 | 75 | 52 | 7 | 7 | 153 | .266 | 1.34 | 4.21 | 4.25 |
| 2020 | NYM | 9 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 30.2 | 42 | 33 | 33 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 36 | .321 | 1.70 | 9.68 | 4.29 |
| 2021 | TOR | 29 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 0 | .667 | 150.2 | 158 | 70 | 64 | 43 | 0 | 6 | 144 | .265 | 1.33 | 3.82 | 4.24 |
| 2022 | STL | 15 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | .625 | 48.0 | 50 | 28 | 28 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 54 | .269 | 1.25 | 5.25 | 3.73 |
| 2023 | STL | 25 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0 | .364 | 105.0 | 108 | 48 | 45 | 32 | 0 | 3 | 98 | .262 | 1.33 | 3.86 | 3.79 |
| 2024 | STL | 12 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .333 | 44.1 | 49 | 28 | 25 | 15 | 1 | 2 | 33 | .283 | 1.44 | 5.08 | 4.20 |
| MLB: 10 years | 193 | 170 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 55 | 60 | 0 | 3 | .478 | 927.2 | 950 | 475 | 442 | 280 | 14 | 39 | 881 | .265 | 1.33 | 4.29 | 3.90 | |
- Statistics are current as of the end of the 2024 MLB season.
5.2. Fielding Statistics
| Year | Team | Pitcher (P) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Games | Putouts | Assists | Errors | Double Plays | Fielding % | ||
| 2015 | NYM | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1.000 |
| 2016 | NYM | 22 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 3 | .969 |
| 2017 | NYM | 13 | 1 | 13 | 1 | 1 | .933 |
| 2018 | NYM | 30 | 2 | 25 | 3 | 2 | .900 |
| 2019 | NYM | 32 | 5 | 22 | 0 | 2 | 1.000 |
| 2020 | NYM | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 2021 | TOR | 29 | 5 | 22 | 1 | 1 | .964 |
| 2022 | STL | 15 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 0 | .900 |
| 2023 | STL | 25 | 10 | 12 | 1 | 1 | .957 |
| 2024 | STL | 12 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 2 | .900 |
| MLB | 193 | 31 | 143 | 9 | 13 | .951 | |
- Statistics are current as of the end of the 2024 MLB season.