A Braves legend is hoping to return to the majors this season, as Tyler Matzek will perform for scouts in an attempt to show improved velocity following several injuries over the last couple of seasons.
Free agent LHP Tyler Matzek, 34, will throw at a showcase for scouts tomorrow in Irvine, Calif. @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) January 22, 2025
Matzek overcame the yips earlier in his career, spending a half-decade away from Major League Baseball before returning in 2020 and becoming arguably the most reliable reliever in the Braves bullpen over a two-year stretch.
In 2021, Matzek posted a 2.57 ERA and 11.0 K/9 in 69 appearances before going absolutely nuclear in the postseason. He owned a 1.48 ERA over 24.1 playoff innings for the Braves and delivered one of the most memorable moments in franchise history, essentially sealing Game 6 of the NLCS and sending Atlanta to the World Series for the first time in two decades.
https://twitter.com/YuriyATL/status/1818140426454356203
However, in 2022, Tyler Matzek dealt with multiple injuries. It began with shoulder inflammation, and his season ended with Tommy John surgery, which kept him out for the entire 2023 campaign as well.
Matzek attempted to come back with the Braves in 2024, but it didn’t look like he had much left in the tank and was eventually traded to the Giants mid-season. However, he returned to the Braves organization later in the year after San Francisco released him but never appeared again for the major-league club.
There’s a part of me that believes Tyler Matzek left every ounce of everything he had on that field at Truist Park on that chilly October night back in 2021. He was a workhorse the entire season, and his body never seemed to recover properly after that playoff run. His fastball velocity dropped two miles per hour the following season and then even further last year.
Hopefully, a full offseason to regroup and get healthy will go a long way. I’m sure the Braves will have someone in attendance tomorrow, because they could certainly use another high leverage left-handed reliever following the departure of A.J. Minter.Â
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Photo: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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