Fantasy News

• Cardinals' Steven Matz: Shaky in loss

  Rotowire Apr 18, 2024

  Matz (1-1) took the loss against Oakland on Wednesday, allowing five runs on seven hits and three walks over five innings while striking out four. Matz got off to an decent start, striking out three of the first six batters he faced before getting tagged for two runs on an Esteury Ruiz home run in the bottom of the third. The lefty would then allow three consecutive hits to open the fifth, leading to three more runs coming across for Oakland as he took his first loss of the season. Matz had not allowed more than two runs in any of his first three starts coming in, though he's now given up 15 hits over his last 9.2 innings of work. The home run from Ruiz was also the first long ball that Matz has allowed this season.

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• Cardinals' Steven Matz: Coughs up four runs

  Rotowire Apr 13, 2024

  Matz yielded four runs (one earned) on eight hits over 4.2 innings during a no-decision against Arizona on Friday. He struck out two. Matz repeatedly worked around potential danger through four shutout frames before Arizona woke up and scored six runs in the fifth inning, with four going on Matz's line. Fortunately for him, only one run was earned due to his own throwing error. Matz had allowed just two runs through 10.1 innings before Friday's start, which was his shortest outing of the year. The veteran southpaw is sporting a 1.80 ERA with an 8:3 K:BB over 15 frames. Matz is projected to start in Oakland next week.

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• Cardinals' Steven Matz: Sharp again Saturday

  Rotowire Apr 6, 2024

  Matz (1-0) picked up the win Saturday, allowing four hits and a walk over five scoreless innings in a 3-1 victory over the Marlins. He struck out three. The veteran southpaw wasn't dominant, generating only 10 swinging strikes among his 85 pitches, but all four hits off Matz were singles as he again limited hard contact. He sports a 1.74 ERA through 10.1 innings to go with a 6:3 K:BB, and Matz lines up to make his next start on the road next weekend in Arizona.

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• Cardinals' Steven Matz: Yields two runs

  Rotowire Mar 31, 2024

  Matz did not factor in the decision Sunday after allowing two runs on five hits and two walks over 5.1 innings. He struck out three in the Cardinals' loss to the Dodgers. Matz rolled through five shutout frames before the Dodgers finally got a couple of runs home in the sixth inning. He threw 51 of 81 pitches for strikes and forced 11 swings-and-misses, including seven with the changeup. The 32-year-old posted a solid 3.86 ERA over 105 frames last year and will be relied upon at the back end of the Cardinals' rotation this season. Matz is currently projected to face the Marlins next.

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• Cardinals' Steven Matz: Won't be fully stretched out

  Rotowire Mar 1, 2024

  Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said recently that Matz will not be as stretched out as the team's other starters at the beginning of the season, Lynn Worthy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. Matz is healthy, but the Cardinals are electing to methodically build him up this spring after he dealt with numerous injuries in his first two seasons with the club. The left-hander has been throwing live batting practice sessions, but Marmol said the next time Matz faces hitters could be in a Grapefruit League appearance. While he is expected to open the season as St. Louis' No. 5 starter, it sounds like it might be a little while before Matz is ready to go five-plus innings.

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• Cardinals' Steven Matz: Throws bullpen to start spring

  Rotowire Feb 15, 2024

  Matz (lat) threw a bullpen session Wednesday, the first day for pitchers and catchers at Cardinals camp, John Denton of MLB.com reports. Matz was limited to 105 innings in 2023, posting a 3.86 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP over 25 appearances (17 starts) before being shut down in August. It's encouraging that the southpaw is throwing to begin camp after avoiding offseason surgery. The Cardinals focused on pitching in the winter, but Matz is still penciled in for a rotation spot regardless of if the team breaks camp with a five-man or six-man unit. From a fantasy perspective, the injury-prone 32-year-old is a low-end option after showing significant year-to-year inconsistency, but he should be considered fully healthy once he gets into spring games.

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• Cardinals' Steven Matz: Likely done for 2024

  Rotowire Sep 3, 2023

  Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Sunday that Matz (lat) remains week-to-week and "probably" won't pitch again this season, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. Matz landed on the 15-day injured list Aug. 14 with a left lat strain and has yet to resume throwing. While the Cardinals haven't indicated that his lat strain is serious enough to require surgery, the team won't look to rush back a historically injury-prone pitcher in the midst of a non-contending season. Assuming Matz remains shut down, he'll finish his second season in St. Louis with a 4-7 record, 3.86 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 98:32 K:BB over 105 innings. He'll head into the 2024 campaign with two seasons remaining on the four-year, $44 million deal he signed in November 2021.

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• Cardinals' Steven Matz: Goes on IL with lat strain

  Rotowire Aug 14, 2023

  St. Louis placed Matz on the 15-day injured list Monday with a left lat strain. This injury comes with brutal timing for the 32-year-old southpaw, who has delivered a 1.86 ERA and 38:7 K:BB in 38.2 innings (seven starts) since returning to the Cardinals' rotation in early July following a month-long stint in the bullpen. Zack Thompson will take over the vacant rotation spot, possibly through the remainder of the 2023 campaign. Lat strains usually require several weeks of rest and rehab, and St. Louis is fully out of contention here in mid-August.

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• Cardinals' Steven Matz: Possible waiver wire pickups

  Rotowire Aug 14, 2023

  Matz has allowed a combined three earned runs in his past four starts, all six innings in length. That's reason enough to pick him up, given the current pitching shortage in Fantasy Baseball. Even if you're skeptical he can sustain it over the long haul, it's reasonable to think he will against the Mets next time out, and he gets the Pirates after that. Has he made any obvious changes to fuel this turnaround? No, but we've seen Matz have stretches of Fantasy relevance in the past. This seems like one of those enjoy-it-while-it-lasts scenarios that doesn't require much deeper thought. Just don't get too attached.

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• Cardinals' Steven Matz: Posts quality start, picks up win

  Rotowire Aug 12, 2023

  Matz (4-7) earned the win Saturday, allowing two runs on four hits over six innings in a 5-4 victory over Kansas City. He struck out five. Matz earned his fourth consecutive quality start, a stretch in which he's 3-0 with a 1.13 ERA and a 19:3 K:BB over 24 innings. His lone blunder Saturday came in the third inning, when he allowed a two-run home run to Nelson Velazquez. Matz is tentatively scheduled to face the Mets, who strike out the fourth-least in MLB but rank 21st in runs scored, in his next start.

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• Cardinals' Steven Matz: Possible waiver wire pickups

  Rotowire Aug 7, 2023

  Matz continued his fine work of late with six one-run innings against the Rockies on Saturday. He has allowed a combined two earned runs in his past four starts, which is good for a 0.78 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 7.8 K/9. He's been around long enough that we know he hasn't suddenly transformed himself into an ace, but he has had stretches of Fantasy relevance before. His overall ERA is down to 3.91, which is right in line with his 3.94 xERA and 3.94 xFIP. It's at least made him worth having around as a matchups play, and lo, his next matchup is against the hapless Royals.

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• Cardinals' Steven Matz: Possible waiver wire pickups

  Rotowire Aug 7, 2023

  Matz continued his fine work of late with six one-run innings against the Rockies on Saturday. He has allowed a combined two earned runs in his past four starts, which is good for a 0.78 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 7.8 K/9. He's been around long enough that we know he hasn't suddenly transformed himself into an ace, but he has had stretches of Fantasy relevance before. His overall ERA is down to 3.91, which is right in line with his 3.94 xERA and 3.94 xFIP. It's at least made him worth having around as a matchups play, and lo, his next matchup is against the hapless Royals.

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• Cardinals' Steven Matz: Pitches well again

  Rotowire Aug 5, 2023

  Matz (3-7) allowed a run on five hits and two walks while striking out six over six innings to earn the win Saturday over the Rockies. Matz gave up a run for the first time in three starts, but he turned in his third straight quality start. It's been an impressive return to form for the southpaw after an awful start to the season. He's now at a 3.91 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 93:32 K:BB over 99 innings through 24 appearances (16 starts). Matz will looking to keep it rolling next weekend in a road start versus the Royals.

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• Cardinals' Steven Matz: Throws quality start

  Rotowire Jul 26, 2023

  Matz allowed five hits and a walk while striking out six over six scoreless innings in a no-decision versus the Diamondbacks on Tuesday. Matz completed six frames for the first time this season, and this was one of his sharpest outings. He's allowed six runs (five earned) over 20.2 innings across four starts since rejoining the Cardinals' rotation. The strong stretch has him at a reasonable 4.34 ERA despite a 1.44 WHIP and 85:30 K:BB through 87 innings through 22 appearances (14 starts). Matz has likely solidified his place in the rotation -- a situation that could even improve if the Cards become sellers at the deadline -- so he can be projected for a home start against the Cubs this weekend.

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• Cardinals' Steven Matz: Gets off schneid with first victory

  Rotowire Jul 21, 2023

  Matz (1-7) earned the win over the Cubs on Thursday, allowing one run on three hits and one walk while striking out six batters over five innings. Matz has bounced between the rotation and bullpen this season, but coming into Thursday he hadn't picked up a victory in either capacity. The left-hander finally found himself in the win column in his 21st appearance of the campaign, going just deep enough to qualify for the victory. Matz needed 97 pitches (59 strikes) to get through five frames, though he gave up just three hits and one walk and didn't hit any batters. The veteran hurler has pitched well in two of three starts since returning to the rotation, and he's likely to stick in that role as long as he continues to be effective.

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• Cardinals' Steven Matz: Struggles in start

  Rotowire Jul 16, 2023

  Matz did not factor into the decision Saturday, allowing four runs on four hits and three walks over 4.1 innings against Washington. He struck out four. After tossing a gem in his return to the starting rotation last time out, Matz retired his first seven batters Saturday. However, the start went downhill fast, as Matz served up a pair of solo homers in the third to Alex Call and CJ Abrams. Through 12 starts (60 innings), Matz is 0-6 with a 5.40 ERA and a 58:23 K:BB, though he's been much improved since moving to the pen. Considering his struggles as a starter, it's unclear if Matz will stick in the rotation. However, he may be forced into at least one more start with Adam Wainwright (shoulder) shelved.

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• Cardinals' Steven Matz: Draws another start

  Rotowire Jul 14, 2023

  Matz is scheduled to start Saturday's game against the Nationals in St. Louis. Given the Cardinals' thin starting pitching depth along with the fact that Matz struck out nine while allowing an unearned run over 5.1 innings in his outing last Sunday against the White Sox, it's not surprisingly that he'll get another turn through the rotation. Despite his excellent showing his last time out, the southpaw is sitting on an 0-7 record, 4.65 ERA and 1.51 WHIP over 71.2 innings this season, so he's still tough to rely on as a streaming option even in what profiles as a strong matchup. To Matz's credit, he's been far more effective while working primarily as a reliever since the beginning of June, pitching to a 1.93 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 20:5 K:BB in 18.2 innings over the past six weeks.

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• Cardinals' Steven Matz: Strong in return to rotation

  Rotowire Jul 9, 2023

  Matz allowed an unearned run on two hits and struck out nine over 5.1 innings in a no-decision versus the White Sox on Sunday. Matz was taken out of the rotation in late May and showed well as a reliever with a 2.81 ERA and 1.13 WHIP over 16 innings across eight relief appearances. He carried over the success in a return to the rotation Sunday, as he was charged with only one run on an RBI single by Elvis Andrus in the third inning. Matz concludes a challenging first half with a 4.65 ERA, 1.51 WHIP and 69:25 K:BB over 71.2 innings through 19 appearances (11 starts). With the rest of the Cardinals' rotation lacking consistency, Matz may have a good chance to remain a starter following the All-Star break.

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• Cardinals' Steven Matz: Will get start Sunday

  Rotowire Jul 6, 2023

  Matz will start for the Cardinals on Sunday against the White Sox, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. That would have been Matthew Liberatore's turn, but he was optioned back to Triple-A Memphis on Thursday. Matz has pitched a little better since being moved to the bullpen in late May and could get an extended rotation opportunity with Adam Wainwright (shoulder) also out of the picture, but there's not much fantasy appeal here in general.

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• Cardinals' Steven Matz: Not starting Wednesday after all

  Rotowire Jul 5, 2023

  Matz is no longer in line to start Wednesday against the Marlins, as the Cardinals have confirmed that Matthew Liberatore will draw the start in Miami, John Denton of MLB.com reports. Though prior reports suggested that Matz would get the starting nod Wednesday, the Cardinals will instead turn to Liberatore on three days' rest after the rookie covered 4.1 innings in the second game of this past Saturday's doubleheader with the Yankees. Manager Oliver Marmol hasn't revealed whether Matz will be available in relief Wednesday, but if the veteran southpaw goes unused, he'll likely be a candidate to fill the spot in the rotation vacated by Adam Wainwright (shoulder), who was placed on the 15-day injured list earlier in the day. Wainwright had been lined up to make his next start Sunday versus the White Sox.

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