Steven Matz is being traded to the Toronto Blue Jays according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. The New York Mets are getting three prospects in return for the lefty staring pitcher.
This is a tough pill to swallow for me, I loved watching the homegrown prospect pitch in Flushing, but I understand this is baseball and the Mets are trying to free up some cap space for another big name free agent.
Matz made his debut on June 28th 2015, after being drafted by the team in 2009. His first start didn’t go as smoothly as he would have liked, giving up a leadoff home run in the top of the 1st inning. He escaped that inning after allowing just that run, and came to the plate in the bottom of the 2nd inning when they intentionally walked the guy ahead of him in the lineup. Matz with two outs and runners on 1st and 3rd hit a ball to the warning track brining in two runners and giving the Mets the lead.
After recording his second hit of the game, SNY cameras showed a suite at Citi Field with his grandfather going absolutely bananas. This moment stood out to me the most because it really humanized the game for the viewers at home. This baseball game in June felt like a lot more. It was such a big deal for his family and something Mets fans will never forget.
Matz went 7.2 innings that day, only allowing 2 runs on 110 pitches and leaving to a standing ovation at Citi Field. Oh and by the way, he went 3-3 that day with 4 RBIs and a double.
The rest of his time with the Mets was less fairytale like, he never became the guy the Mets truly hoped he could be, but he was a serviceable pitcher for the remaining of his days in Flushing.
Matz wont be swining the bat anymore, but the rest of the Mets pitchers will be after the MLBPA denied the universal DH earlier this week
I wrote earlier about the Mets brining in a temporary General Manager after firing their previous guy after less than two months. I have the ultimate faith in Sandy Alderson to do what is right for this team going forward, so I hope this is not the last move the Mets make this offseason.
He sure isn’t headed to Cooperstown in the Hall of Fame, but he will be missed in Flushing
TL//DR: Steven Matz traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for 3 prospects.
