STEVEN MATZ NEWS

Allows one run in no-decision Matz did not factor into the decision Sunday against the Tigers, allowing one run on five hits and no walks. He struck out two.

Impact Matz surrendered a solo home run to Spencer Torkelson in the fourth but otherwise kept the Tigers in check. He left after the fifth with a 3-1 lead, which was promptly blown by James Naile the following frame. Matz has been rocky so far this season, but Sunday was the first outing during which he did not walk a batter and gave up fewer than two runs. The 32-year-old now sits at a 5.70 ERA, 1.60 WHIP and 33:15 K:BB over 36.1 innings. He lines up for a difficult matchup on the road against Boston next weekend.

MAY 8, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Listed starter Sunday Matz is listed as the Cardinals' probable starter Sunday against the Tigers, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

Impact There has been some thought that Matthew Liberatore might get the call to take Matz's rotation spot, but Jones also notes that Liberatore is the listed starter at Triple-A Memphis on Saturday. Matz is seemingly going to get at least one more turn before perhaps sliding into a bullpen role. He is 0-4 with a 6.39 ERA, 1.71 WHIP and 31:15 K:BB through 31 innings (six starts) this season with St. Louis.

MAY 5, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Rotation spot uncertain Cardinals manager Oli Marmol was noncommittal Thursday when asked whether Matz will remain in the starting rotation, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

Impact Matz is currently lined up to start Sunday's series finale against the Tigers, but the Cardinals seem to be considering other options -- maybe even a promotion of Matthew Liberatore. Matz, 31, has gone 0-4 with a 6.39 ERA and 1.71 WHIP through 31 innings (six starts) in the second year of a four-year, $44 million deal.

MAY 4, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Suffers fourth loss Matz (0-4) took another loss Tuesday against the Angels, allowing four runs on six hits and two walks while striking out four over five innings.

Impact Matz wound up surrendering all four runs in the first frame. He walked Mike Trout, who came around to score following back-to-back singles and Taylor Ward capped off the inning with a three-run blast to left field. Matz would settle in the rest of the way, tossing four scoreless innings but would not get the run support to help erase the damage done. The 31-year-old has yet to reach six innings and has given up at least four runs in four of his six starts this year. Matz now owns a 6.39 ERA, 1.71 WHIP and 31:15 K:BB over 31 innings and will try to get his first win in a projected matchup with the Tigers over the weekend.

MAY 3, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Goes just four innings Wednesday Matz did not factor in the decision against the Giants on Wednesday, allowing two runs on six hits and three walks while striking out three batters over four innings.

Impact All things considered, Matz was fortunate to have just two runs charged to his line, as he allowed nine batters to reach base over just four frames. The southpaw escaped a bases-loaded jam in the third but yielded a pair of runs on four hits in the fourth and wasn't allowed to continue into the fifth. Matz needed 90 pitches -- only 51 of which were strikes -- to get through his four innings, continuing what has been a rough season thus far. He's 0-3 on the campaign with a 6.23 ERA, 1.73 WHIP and 27:13 K:BB across 26 frames.

APRIL 27, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Takes third loss of season Matz (0-3) took the loss Friday, allowing four runs on four hits and two walks over 5.1 innings against the Mariners. He struck out seven.

Impact Matz has struggled to start off the year, posting a 6.55 ERA through his first four appearances. The former Met and Blue Jay has a track record of quality seasons under his belt; most recently in 2021 (14-7. 3.82 ERA, 1.33 WHIP). While the southpaw has plenty of time to regain that form, fantasy managers shouldn't bank on him at this moment.

APRIL 22, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Works around walks vs. Pirates Matz did not factor into the decision Saturday, allowing two runs on three hits and five walks over 5.2 innings against Pittsburgh. He struck out six.

Impact Walks were a problem for Matz on Saturday, and his free pass to Conner Joe with the bases loaded tied the game at 2-2 in the third. He also allowed a long homer to Ke'Bryan Hayes -- estimated at 440 feet -- in the first, but that was it in terms of run prevention. Even with the control issues this was the best start of the season for the southpaw, as he came into the game with a 8.18 ERA and allowed at least four runs in both of his previous outings. He'll get a chance to build on this effort next week, and he's scheduled to square off against Seattle on Friday at T-Mobile Park.

APRIL 15, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Cardinals' Steven Matz looks to rebound vs. Pirates After struggling in his first two starts of the season, St.

APRIL 15, 2023 • NEWSOBSERVER.COM

St. Louis Cardinals host the Pittsburgh Pirates Saturday

The St. Louis Cardinals play the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday

APRIL 15, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Surrenders six runs in loss Matz (0-2) took the loss against Colorado on Monday, allowing six runs on nine hits and two walks while striking out four batters over 5.2 innings.

Impact Matz surrendered just two extra-base hits -- both of which were doubles -- in the outing, but he allowed 12 total baserunners to put himself in constant trouble. Half of those baserunners came across the third and fourth frames, during which the Rockies piled up four combined runs. Matz has struggled to get runners out during his first two appearances of the campaign, yielding a combined 19 hits and 10 runs over 11 innings. He's posted a decent 11:3 K:BB over that span, but after registering a 5.25 ERA in his first campaign as a Cardinal last year, it's becoming increasingly difficult to see him as a viable fantasy asset.

APRIL 11, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Gives up four runs in loss Matz (0-1) was charged with the loss Tuesday against Atlanta after he allowed four runs on 10 hits and one walk across 5.1 innings. He recorded seven strikeouts.

Impact The left-hander surrendered just three runs in four outings during spring training, but Atlanta got to him quickly Tuesday with home runs from Austin Riley and Orlando Arcia in the first and second innings, respectively. Matz generated 15 swinging strikes and topped out at 95.7 mph, which is a tick faster than his average fastball velocity last year, but he had trouble keeping runners off the bases. Matz will have to contend with the Rockies at hitter-friendly Coors Field for his next start, which tentatively lines up for Monday.

APRIL 5, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals play in game 2 of series

The Atlanta Braves play the St. Louis Cardinals with a 1-0 series lead

APRIL 4, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Cardinals betting on healthy seasons from Jack Flaherty, Steven Matz to lift rotation The Cardinals did not make a big-name free-agent starting pitching addition this winter, and they'll rely on heavily on Jack Flaherty and St...

MARCH 25, 2023 • STLTODAY.COM

Continues impressive spring Matz allowed one run on three hits and struck out five over six innings in Thursday's Grapefruit League game versus the Yankees.

Impact The one run allowed by Matz came on a solo home run by Oswaldo Cabrera. Over 17.2 innings this spring, Matz has a 1.53 ERA, 0.74 WHIP and 17:3 K:BB. After knee and shoulder injuries limited the southpaw in 2022, his strong spring has him poised for a bounce-back season. He's a lock for the Cardinals' rotation, though he has reached 150 innings only three times in his major-league career.

MARCH 24, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Feeling strong this spring Matz said after throwing three perfect innings against the Astros on Monday that "I feel the strongest I ever have in my career," Lynn Worthy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports...

Impact Matz struck out four while needing just 39 pitches to navigate through his three perfect frames. He touched 95 mph with his sinker, which is more velocity than he typically shows at this point in camp. Matz is looking to bounce back from a disappointing first season in St. Louis which saw him limited to just 48 innings due to injuries.

MARCH 7, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Earns win in return Matz (5-3) struck out one in a perfect inning to earn the win in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader versus the Reds.

Impact Matz made his return from a torn left MCL in this appearance. He was immediately rewarded as the Cardinals won in the 11th inning after generating the lone run of the game on an error. This was Matz's first relief outing since 2020 with the Mets and just his sixth appearance out of the bullpen in his career. He has a 5.56 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 52:9 K:BB through 43.2 innings this year, though it's expected he'll serve as a multi-inning reliever for the rest of the campaign.

SEPTEMBER 18, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Returns from injured list Matz (knee) was activated off the injured list Saturday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Impact Matz struggled to a 5.70 ERA in 10 starts for the Cardinals before tearing the MCL in his left knee, though his 27.4 percent strikeout rate and 4.8 percent walk rate were both strong marks. He's ready to help out in the final few weeks of the season, albeit in a bullpen role, as he didn't have time to build all the way up to a starter's workload.

SEPTEMBER 17, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Molina homers, Pujols goes hitless as Cards sweep Reds

Yadier Molina hit a two-run drive while Albert Pujols went hitless in his quest for 700 homers, and the St. Louis Cardinals swept a doubleheader from the Cincinnati Reds 5-1 and 1-...

SEPTEMBER 17, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Montgomery stays unbeaten with Cardinals, blanks Cubs

Jordan Montgomery pitched shutout ball into the seventh inning to remain unbeaten with St. Louis, Lars Nootbaar and Tommy Edman homered, and the Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs 8-0

SEPTEMBER 3, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Strider, Contreras lead streaking Braves past Cards, 11-4

Spencer Strider pitched six strong innings and William Contreras hit a three-run double as the streaking Atlanta Braves defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 11-4

AUGUST 27, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Pujols homers as Montgomery, Cardinals blank Cubs 1-0

Albert Pujols hit career homer No. 693, Jordan Montgomery pitched a one-hitter and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs 1-0 for their season-high eighth straight victory

AUGUST 23, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Throws side session Matz (knee) threw 30 pitches during a low-intensity side session this weekend, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.

Impact Although Matz didn't throw with much intensity over the weekend, he apparently felt good afterward since he'll throw another bullpen session Wednesday. It's not yet clear when the southpaw will be able to begin a rehab assignment, but he's trended in the right direction over the last few weeks.

AUGUST 22, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Nearing mound work Matz (knee) could throw off a mound this weekend, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.

Impact Per Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat, Matz played catch off a mound Wednesday and did some running on the field, so throwing pitches off the mound would mark another step forward in his recovery from a torn MCL in his left knee. Matz is still likely a week or more away from beginning a minor-league rehab assignment, so he's not expected to be a rotation option for the Cardinals until September at the soonest.

AUGUST 18, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Throws on field pregame Matz (knee) has begun a throwing program, which including flat-ground throwing prior to Saturday's game, John Denton of MLB.com reports.

Impact Denton adds Matz remains optimistic that he'll return before the end of the season. He's still early in the rehab process, so Matz isn't expected back before September at the earliest due to a torn MCL in his left knee. A clearer picture of his recovery timeline should emerge once he begins to face hitters.

AUGUST 14, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Cardinals host the Yankees, try to continue home win streak

The St. Louis Cardinals host the New York Yankees trying to extend a seven-game home winning streak

AUGUST 7, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS