Steven Matz

Steven Matz

New York Mets – No. 32
Starting Pitcher
Born: (1991-05-29) May 29, 1991
Stony Brook, New York
Bats: Right Throws: Left
MLB debut
June 28, 2015, for the New York Mets
MLB statistics
(through August 6, 2017)
Win–loss record 15–13
Earned run average 3.83
Strikeouts 206
WHIP 1.29
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Steven Jakob Matz (born May 29, 1991) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut on June 28, 2015.

Early life

Steven Matz was born on May 29, 1991 in Stony Brook, New York, the second child of Ron and Lori Matz. He has an older brother, Jonathan, and younger sister, Jillian.[1] Ron Matz coached a travel baseball team and is a service manager at a Jeep dealership in West Islip.[2] Lori is an administrative employee at Comsewogue High School in Port Jefferson Station, New York.[1] Matz and his family, as far back as his grandparents, are devout fans of the New York Mets.[3] Matz was raised as a non-practicing Lutheran though he joined the evangelical Calvary Chapel while a minor leaguer.[4]

Matz began receiving pitching lessons at age 10, from former MLB pitcher Neal Heaton.[5] He attended Ward Melville High School in East Setauket, New York, and pitched and played first base for the school's baseball team. In high school, he enjoyed a rivalry with nearby Patchogue-Medford High School pitcher, friend and current major leaguer Marcus Stroman (Stroman also took pitching lessons from Neal Heaton for several years). Matz and Stroman were teammates on the same elite travel team, The Paveco Storm, for several years in junior high and high school. The two were roommates during the Area Code Games and pitched against each other multiple times in high school.[6] Despite not receiving attention from college or professional scouts until June of his junior year, Matz was named Newsday's Long Island Player of the Year and was given the Yastrzemski Award as the best high school ballplayer in Suffolk County in his senior year.[7]

Professional career

Minor leagues

The New York Mets selected Matz in the second round, with the 72nd overall selection, of the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft.[8][9][10] The Mets did not have a first round pick in that year's draft and did not expect Matz to drop to them in the second round. Some Mets scouts attribute this to his playing high school baseball in the Northeast, an area which does not traditionally produce much high round talent.[2] Matz originally committed to attend Coastal Carolina University to play college baseball for the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, but the Mets agreed with him on a $895,000 signing bonus ten minutes before the August 15 signing deadline for draft picks. Matz had scheduled a flight to attend his orientation at Coastal Carolina for the next day.[11]

While pitching in an instructional league in 2010, he experienced elbow discomfort.[12] A doctor diagnosed Matz with a torn ulnar collateral ligament of the elbow, requiring Tommy John surgery.[2] He did not make his professional debut until 2012,[5] when he pitched for the Kingsport Mets of the Rookie-level Appalachian League. He compiled a 2–1 win–loss record a 1.55 earned run average (ERA) in 29 innings pitched with Kingsport.[2]

Matz batting in his MLB debut

Before the 2013 season, Matz worked on developing a curveball to replace his slider, at the advice of Frank Viola and Ron Romanick.[5] That year, he pitched for the Savannah Sand Gnats of the Class A South Atlantic League, where he had a 5–6 win–loss record and a 2.62 ERA while recording 121 strikeouts in  106 1⁄3 innings pitched on the strength of his fastball.[5] The Mets added Matz to their 40-man roster on November 20, 2013, to protect him from being selected in the Rule 5 draft.[13] He began the 2014 season with the St. Lucie Mets of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League, where he had a 4–4 record and a 2.21 ERA in  69 1⁄3 innings pitched, before he was promoted to the Binghamton Mets of the Class AA Eastern League in 2014.[5] With Binghamton, Matz pitched to a 6–5 record with a 2.28 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 71 innings.[14] After the season, the Mets named Matz their Organizational Pitcher of the Year.[15]

Matz opened the 2015 season with the Las Vegas 51s of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League.[16] In 15 games started for Las Vegas, Matz had a 7–4 record and a 2.19 ERA.[17]

New York Mets

2015

The Mets promoted Matz to make his major league debut on June 28 against the Cincinnati Reds at Citi Field.[17] Matz' first pitch was a wild pitch to Reds' leadoff hitter Brandon Phillips.[18] Then on a 3–1 count to Phillips, he hit a home run off the left field fence, originally a single, but overturned on video review[19] Matz became the second pitcher in Mets history to give up a home run to the first batter he faced since Jon Niese on September 2, 2008. Matz won his debut and, using a bat given to him by Las Vegas teammate Matt Reynolds,[20] recorded four RBIS, breaking the Mets' franchise record for RBIs in a major league debut and setting an MLB record for most RBI by a pitcher in their debut.[21] He was also the first Mets pitcher with four RBIs in any game since Dwight Gooden in 1990. He finished the game with three hits as the Mets went on to win, 7–2. Matz described pitching for the team that he grew up supporting as "a dream come true."[22] Matz was the first pitcher from Long Island to make his MLB debut with the Mets since Ray Searage in 1981.[23]

In his second start, Matz pitched six scoreless innings while striking out eight and allowing two hits. After the game, the Mets announced that Matz tore a latissimus dorsi muscle and would miss at least a month recovering.[24] Matz returned to the Mets on September 6, starting at Marlins Park against Miami, and left the game with a blister and in line for a win, but received a no-decision.[25] On September 18, Matz returned to Citi Field, pitching the first game of the Subway Series and earning a win. He allowed one run on seven hits and a walk in six innings while striking out four batters. With that, Matz became the first pitcher in franchise history to allow two earned runs or fewer in each of his first five career starts, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.[26]

Matz finished the season with a 4–0 record in six starts with a 2.27 ERA in  35 2⁄3 innings pitched with a WHIP of 1.234 with 35 strikeouts while giving up 34 hits, 9 runs, 4 home runs, and 10 walks. Matz made his postseason debut in Game Four of the 2015 National League Division Series in a 3–1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Matz pitched five innings giving up 6 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts. In Game Four of the 2015 National League Championship Series against the Chicago Cubs he pitched 4.2 innings giving up 4 hits, 1 run, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts. Matz started game four of the 2015 World Series against the Kansas City Royals pitching 5 innings giving up 7 hits, 2 runs, and 5 strikeouts. He received a no-decision as the Royals beat the Mets 5–3.

2016

Matz made the Mets' Opening Day roster in 2016, as the fifth starter in the Mets rotation that consisted of Matt Harvey, Noah Syndergaard, Jacob deGrom, and Bartolo Colon.[27] Matz made his first start on Monday Night Baseball against the Miami Marlins, but was shelled by Miami, only pitching 1.2 innings, and allowing 7 runs, taking the loss. However, after the bad loss, Matz rebounded to finish April strong, winning his next three starts in the month.

After compiling a 4-0 win-loss record, a 1.83 ERA, and 31 strikeouts in May, he was named the National League Rookie of the Month.[28] However, after a great May, Matz pitched badly over the next two months, not winning a game and seeing his ERA ballon from 2.28 to 3.63. On June 28, it was revealed that Matz and teammate Noah Syndergaard had pitching most of the season with bone spurs in the back of their pitching elbows. It was indicated that Matz's spur was more significant and he will need to have it surgically removed. However, surgery would require a three-month recovery time, which would force Matz to miss the rest of the 2016 Season. Matz decided to wait until after the season for surgery to remove the bone spur.

After two rough months, Matz pitched well in August, striking out 9 in 6 innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks on August 9, and then taking a no-hitter into the 8th inning in his next start against the San Diego Padres. Matz struck out 8 batters in that game, and picked up his ninth win of the season, giving him a 9-8 win-loss record. Alexei Ramírez was the first Padre to hit against Matz in that game.

The Mets placed Matz on the 15-day disabled list on August 22, retroactive to August 15, citing "left shoulder tightness". On September 27, it was announced that Matz would undergo surgery for a bone spur in the left elbow, thereby ending his season.

Matz received one third place vote for the 2016 National League Rookie of the Year, placing him in a three-way tie for sixth place with Jon Gray and Seung-hwan Oh.[29]

References

  1. 1 2 Marcus, Steven (June 27, 2015). "Steven Matz's journey from local hero to big-league pitcher". Newsday. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Kerasotis, Peter (March 22, 2015). "Mets See Much Potential in Steven Matz, a Tenacious Pitcher". The New York Times. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  3. ↑ Vorkunov, Mike (June 27, 2015). "Why the Mets are 'lucky' for landing Steven Matz". NJ.com. Advance Digital. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
  4. ↑ Sarachik, Justin (24 August 2015). "Steven Matz: Faith, Fastballs, & the Future; NY Mets Pitcher is 'Prepared' to Do 'Whatever' the Team Asks to Win [INTERVIEW]". BREATHEcast. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Curveball has made Mets prospect Steven Matz even better". Newsday. August 2, 2014. Retrieved December 4, 2014.
  6. ↑ Ronis, Adam (April 16, 2009). "Matz bests buddy Stroman". Newsday. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
  7. ↑ Ronis, Adam (June 26, 2009). "Meet Steven Matz, a future Mr. Met?". Newsday. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
  8. ↑ Ronis, Adam (June 26, 2009). "Meet Steven Matz, a future Mr. Met?". Newsday. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Mets select local high school product Steven Matz with first pick". MLB.com. June 10, 2009. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
  10. ↑ "Mets sign first overall draft pick Steven Matz". MLB.com (Press release). August 18, 2009. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
  11. ↑ Kussoy, Howie (June 27, 2015). "The long-awaited rise of Long Island’s Steven Matz, the ‘ultimate competitor’". New York Post. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Mets prospect Matz has Tommy John surgery". Newsday. May 18, 2010. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
  13. ↑ DiComo, Anthony (November 20, 2013). "Mets shield former top pick Matz from Rule 5 Draft". MLB.com. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
  14. ↑ Harper, John (February 3, 2015). "Meet the Matz! Mets left-handed pitching prospect Steven Matz could be next in line". New York Daily News. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
  15. ↑ "Matz, Herrera win Mets Minor League Players of the Year". Press & Sun-Bulletin. September 10, 2014. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
  16. ↑ Derespina, Cody (April 9, 2015). "Long Island's Steven Matz makes Mets Triple-A debut Thursday". Newsday. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
  17. 1 2 "Steven Matz will be called up by the Mets to pitch Sunday, sources say". Newsday. June 25, 2015. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
  18. ↑ How bout this as your first pitch in the bigs? Batter didn't even have his bat up #Matz #Mets. June 28, 2015. Retrieved December 28, 2015 – via Twitter.
  19. ↑ CIN@NYM: Phillips homers off Matz in the 1st. August 29, 2015. Retrieved December 28, 2015 – via YouTube.
  20. ↑ Berkman, Seth (June 28, 2015). "Steven Matz, a New Pitcher, Rescues the Mets. With His Bat". The New York Times. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
  21. ↑ DiComo, Anthony; Sheldon, Mark (June 28, 2015). "Matz's historic game helps Mets sweep Reds". MLB.com. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
  22. ↑ Guardado, Maria (June 27, 2015). "Steven Matz calls pitching for the Mets, the team he grew up rooting for, 'a dream come true'". NJ.com. Advance Digital. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
  23. ↑ Rubin, Adam (June 29, 2015). "Mets' Steven Matz pitches into 8th, goes 3-for-3 with 4 RBIs in debut". ESPN. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
  24. ↑ Rohan, Tim (July 10, 2015). "Mets’ Steven Matz Is Out for at Least a Month With a Torn Muscle". The New York Times. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  25. ↑ Puma, Mike (September 6, 2015). "Steven Matz’s blister was a bother, but not a shock". New York Post. Retrieved September 18, 2015.
  26. ↑ "Steven Matz settles down, stymies Yankees for six innings". ESPN.com. September 19, 2015. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
  27. ↑ Marcus, Steven (April 8, 2016). "Steven Matz excited for first Mets’ home opener". Newsday. Retrieved May 25, 2016.
  28. ↑ Albanese, Laura (June 2, 2016). "Steven Matz named NL Rookie of the Month for May". Newsday. Retrieved June 2, 2016.
  29. ↑ Ortiz, Jorge L. (November 15, 2016). "Dodgers' Corey Seager voted unanimous NL rookie of the year". USA Today. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
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