Well, here we go again—another legendary 2021 Atlanta Braves squad member is packing his bags. This time, it’s lefty reliever Tyler Matzek, who has inked a minor league deal with the New York Yankees.
According to Mass Live’s Chris Cotillo, Matzek caught the Yankees’ attention with an impressive showcase. Now he’s got a shot at cracking their bullpen.
A Hero of Atlanta’s Championship Run
Braves fans will remember Matzek for one thing: his absolute dominance in that unforgettable 2021 postseason run. This is the guy who came into high-leverage situations and just shut teams down.
In the World Series alone, he posted a 1.72 ERA, a 0.89 WHIP, and struck out 24 batters in 15 2/3 innings. He played a huge role in bringing that championship back to Atlanta.
But baseball is a game of highs and lows, and Matzek has certainly seen both. After missing the entire 2023 season due to Tommy John surgery, his long-awaited return to the Braves last year didn’t exactly go as planned. In 11 appearances, he posted a tough 9.90 ERA, allowing 11 earned runs in just 10 innings.
Opponents were hitting a staggering .356 against him. Then, in early May, he hit the IL with elbow inflammation and never made it back to the mound for the rest of the season.
A Second Departure from the Braves
Technically, this is Matzek’s second time leaving the Braves organization in less than a year.
Atlanta actually traded him to the San Francisco Giants last July in the second Jorge Soler deal. The Giants to release him a month later. The Braves scooped him back up and sent him to Triple-A, but it was clear that he wasn’t quite back to his old self.
Still, the Yankees see something in him. If he can regain even a fraction of his 2021 form, he could be a valuable weapon out of the bullpen.
FanGraphs projects that if he makes the team, he could put up a 4.33 ERA in 38 innings next season—certainly not his peak form, but respectable for a guy trying to reestablish himself.
A Chance for Braves Fans to See Him Again
Braves fans will have at least a couple of chances to see their former reliever in action this spring.
Atlanta faces New York twice in Spring Training—once on March 2 in North Port and again in Tampa on March 19 in a split-squad game. Will Matzek get a shot to face his former teammates? We’ll have to wait and see.
No matter what happens next, one thing’s for sure: Braves fans won’t forget how he helped bring a championship to Atlanta. And if he finds his way back to dominance in New York? Well, good for him.
