Steven Matz's Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings

St. Louis Cardinals left-hander Steven Matz (back) is set to undergo an MRI exam on Thursday after pitching through a back issue on Tuesday against the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday. Matz went just 3 1/3 innings against Detroit on Tuesday and allowed seven hits (one home run) and four earned runs while walking two and striking out only one. The Cardinals will wait for the results of the MRI before deciding what to do next with the 32-year-old veteran southpaw. Fantasy managers that have Matz rostered in deeper leagues should prepare for the possibility that he will go on the injured list. After his poor start on Tuesday, he's now 1-2 on the year with a 6.18 ERA and 1.73 WHIP while striking 17 in 27 2/3 frames over his first six starts in 2024.

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Steven Matz got rocked in Tuesday's loss versus the Arizona Diamondbacks. The left-hander tossed 4 1/3 innings and got hit hard for six hits, seven runs and three walks. He also had four strikeouts on the evening. Matz has really struggled to open the 2024 campaign and has allowed 16 runs (13 earned runs) over his last three outings. He has also failed to get past 5 1/3 innings on the season. Matz has a lot that needs to be figured out and can be avoided in all formats, even with a favorable matchup against the Detroit Tigers to begin next week.

St. Louis Cardinals left-hander Steven Matz is one of two starting pitchers for the team who have yet to pitch in a Grapefruit League game, but Matz is going to make his spring training debut on Monday and throw an inning after starter Sonny Gray. Given Matz's extensive injury history over his first two years with the team, the Cardinals felt it best to take it slow with Matz's spring progression this year. He made 15 starts in 2022 due to a shoulder injury and a torn MCL, and a lat strain ended his 2023 season early. But before his lat strain, the veteran southpaw had a 1.86 ERA over seven starts, his best stretch with the Cardinals since joining them before the 2022 season. The 32-year-old will begin the year in the Opening Day rotation, but fantasy managers shouldn't expect him to provide much length, at least early on.

St. Louis Cardinals left-hander Steven Matz (lat) threw a bullpen session on Wednesday on the first day that pitchers and catchers reported to spring training. It's notable after Matz threw only 105 innings in his second year in St. Louis in 2023 because he was shut down in August due to a lat injury. The 32-year-old veteran southpaw posted a 3.86 ERA (3.75 FIP) and 1.33 WHIP while walking 32 and striking out 98 in his 25 appearances (17 starts). Matz was better last year than he was in 2022 in his first year of a four-year, $44 million deal, but he still doesn't move the needle all that much for fantasy managers, mostly because of his injury risk and below-average 22.4 percent career strikeout rate. He threw only 48 innings in 2022 due to shoulder and knee injuries and will most likely miss time at some point again in 2024.