John Mozeliak may have just pulled off a surprising move to strengthen the St. Louis Cardinals’ bullpen, bringing in a recent World Series standout to join the team.
Although the Cardinals’ relievers have improved after a rough start to the season, it was evident the team needed additional support to maintain strong performance throughout the year — and they’ve now taken their first step in addressing that need.
The Cardinals have signed former World Series star Tyler Matzek to be a part of their bullpen depth
Tyler Matzek, who was designated for assignment by the New York Yankees a few weeks ago, has signed a minor league contract with the St. Louis Cardinals and will report to Triple-A Memphis. In seven appearances for the Yankees this season, Matzek posted a 4.26 ERA over 6.1 innings while striking out seven. Despite that, New York opted to move on from him.
Originally signed by the Yankees to a minor league deal this past offseason, Matzek brings with him a strong track record as a reliever, especially from 2020 to 2022 with the Atlanta Braves. Over that stretch, he maintained a 2.92 ERA across 132 games and struck out more than 10 batters per nine innings. He was a key contributor to Atlanta’s bullpen during their 2021 World Series run and owns a stellar 1.48 ERA in 20 postseason outings.
After undergoing Tommy John surgery at the end of 2022, Matzek missed the entire 2023 season and has logged just 10 big league innings in 2024. It’s understandable that he’s still working his way back to form, and the Cardinals are taking a low-risk chance on his potential by bringing him in on a minor league deal.
As a left-hander, Matzek gives the Cardinals some sorely needed depth from that side. JoJo Romero has struggled with consistency this season, and John King has been largely ineffective. Steven Matz remains the most dependable lefty option in the bullpen, but he’s used in various roles beyond high-leverage situations, so the team clearly needs more left-handed help.
While Matzek is no guarantee to lock down a key role, this move is a smart gamble. His fastball averaged 94.5 mph with the Yankees this year — a slight uptick from his return from surgery and close to his pre-injury velocity, though still shy of the 96 mph he sat at during his peak with Atlanta.
Matzek relies mainly on a four-seam fastball, complemented by a slider and the occasional sinker. For him to be effective again, that fastball will need to be a reliable weapon.
He’ll start in Memphis, but with a grueling stretch of 28 games in 29 days ahead for the Cardinals, Matzek could find himself in St. Louis soon. If he performs well, he could potentially take over one of the lefty spots, especially ahead of King. His progress in Memphis will be something to watch closely.
