Over the weekend, the most predictable thing happened as the Braves reunited with an old friend, signing Tyler Matzek to a minor league contract on August 31.
The Braves veteran was assigned to Triple-A Gwinnett that day and is eligible for Atlanta’s postseason roster if he’s needed. Elbow inflammation sent Matzek to the injured list in May, and he hasn’t pitched in the major leagues since.
Eventually, the Braves traded Matzek to the Giants in part of the trade for Jorge Soler. It didn’t go so well for the reliever in Triple-A, as Matzek had a 5.79 ERA in San Francisco’s Triple-A over the small sample size of 4.2 innings pitched. The Giants then released him early last week.
It’s been a wild journey for the Braves postseason hero. He was a key member of the Nightshift, Atlanta’s bullpen during their World Series run, including a magical outing against the Dodgers in the NLCS.
He returned in 2022 and posted good numbers but missed out on another playoff run due to a Tommy John surgery in October of that year. After missing the entire 2023 season rehabbing from the surgery, Matzek returned to action this season but had an atrocious 9.90 ERA over 10 innings for the Braves.
The Braves have had their fair share of injuries this year, so stashing a well-known commodity in Triple-A that can be used later in the season is never a bad thing. Unfortunately, it seems like Tyler Matzek’s best years are behind him for the Braves.
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Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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