St. Louis Cardinals lefty Steven Matz made his return from the injured list on Wednesday, making his first start since April as his role on the team remains uncertain. Matz had been sidelined since May 3 with a lower back strain. While his return to the roster means an increase in pitching depth for the team, the Cardinals now have a surplus of starting pitchers. However, his performance in a pivotal game against the Milwaukee Brewers, three earned runs on three hits in 4 2/3 innings, could place him in competition to stay in the rotation.
Steven Matz, K’ing the Side in the 4th. pic.twitter.com/T7TLY7QuXI
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 4, 2024
Steven Matz’s Strong Return Could Help Him Win Rotation Spot
Matz, after six seasons with the New York Mets and one with the Toronto Blue Jays, signed a four-year, $44 million contract with the Cardinals in 2022. In almost three seasons with the team, he has struggled to stay healthy. He has appeared in only 47 games for the Cardinals, posting a 4.62 ERA through 185 1/3 innings. The Cardinals hoped for him to be a middle-of-the-rotation piece when they signed him, and, when he’s been healthy, he has lived up to these expectations.
Matz’s injury in April again signaled trouble for the Cardinals’ rotation. Although they had signed Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson to one-year deals, spot-starter Andre Pallante still had to come out of the bullpen. He has excelled as the fifth starter, and spot-starters Gordon Graceffo and Michael McGreevy have looked solid in their limited appearances.
Matz’s performance in his return against the Brewers exceeded expectations. After a lengthy rehab process, his velocity saw an uptick, hitting 95 mph with apparent ease, and his command of his slider and curveball seemed sharp. Although he exited the game early, this was likely due to a combination of limiting his pitches and the Cardinals’ precarious situation against the Brewers. The Cardinals would go on to win the game in the 11th inning, 7-4.
If Matz continues to perform steadily and give the Cardinals a chance to win, he could compete for a spot in the rotation during September.
Rotation Situation
With the recent struggles of Sonny Gray, the Cardinals have depended upon the middle and back of their rotation to keep the team afloat. Trade deadline acquisition Erick Fedde has performed well after initially struggling, and he has picked up some of this slack. However, both Gibson and Miles Mikolas have struggled for most of the season, leaving the solidity of the back end of the rotation in question.
It is possible that Pallante gets sent back to the bullpen, although the dominant performance of one-time starter Matthew Liberatore leaves the team’s need for a long-reliever in doubt. It is also possible that the team will utilize a six-man rotation upon the return of Lance Lynn, which would leave either Matz, Pallante, or Mikolas in the bullpen.
Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol seems tentative about keeping Matz as a starter. However, he made it clear during his rehab appearances that Matz would at least have an extended shot in the rotation.
The Cardinals currently sit 5 1/2 games out of the third Wild-Card spot and face a less than 2% chance to make the postseason. Although it is unlikely that Matz will seriously impact the potential of a miracle run past the Mets and Atlanta Braves, his return is a positive sign for the rotation in 2025.
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