Braves Country has many fan favorites. Whether it’s the dugout mascots like Pablo Sandoval or folk legends like Ron Washington, the club has produced some incredible moments and personalities, but few measure up to Tyler Matzek.
Nicknamed “Nutsack” by his teammates, he earned the name for his heroics in the 2021 NLCS against the Dodgers. In the 7th inning, the Braves were up 4-2 with runners on second and third base with no outs. Brian Snitker called on Matzek, who fanned Albert Pujols, Steven Souza, and Mookie Betts.
It was the loudest I’ve ever heard Truist Park in an eruption that would’ve registered on the Richter scale. Atlanta would go on to win the game, sending the Braves to the World Series, where they beat the Astros in six games, giving Atlanta its first championship in any of the four major sports since 1995.
Tyler Matzek’s 2023 campaign was lost to Tommy John surgery, but his presence was still felt, most notably against the Mets in a June series. In the third inning, Pete Alonso launched a Bryce Elder hanging slider into the stratosphere, which prompted the New York first baseman to yell, “Throw it again, please throw it again” from the dugout.
Later, the Braves took the lead thanks to a two-run double by Sean Murphy, an RBI double by Marcell Ozuna, and an RBI single by Orlando Arcia. Thus prompting Tyler Matzek to yell, “Throw it again” from the Atlanta dugout.
Even though Matzek never appeared in a game, he never wavered in his support for his teammates, which Brian Snitker noted at the Nashville winter meetings.
Brian Snitker is excited for Tyler Matzek's return.
"In all his absence, he wasn't absent," Snitker said. "He was there with the guys every day, and that's a presence that you can't replace."
— Justin Toscano (@JustinCToscano) December 5, 2023
Matzek is set to come back to the team this Spring with an opportunity to carve out a role in one of the deepest bullpens in baseball. Nobody would love it more if he returned to form than Braves Country.
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Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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