The Atlanta Braves have lost most of their 2021 World Series roster and a good bit of those players left this offseason. The biggest hits came from Max Fried and A.J. Minter who each joined New York teams. Minter landed in Queens with the dreaded Mets and Fried with the Evil Empire in the Bronx.
Fried isn't the only former Braves to suit up with the Yankees as NLCS hero Tyler Matzek signed with the reigning AL champs as well. Matzek's time with the Braves didn't end the way he'd hoped with an injury forcing him out for the 2023 season.
He appeared in 10 innings for the Braves in 2024 and allowed 11 earned runs. He just didn't look ready to compete on a big league mound again and he was soon after placed on the injured list with elbow inflammation. He stayed on the injured list for the following months and was eventually included in the trade that sent he and Jorge Soler to the Giants.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone recently spoke on the Foul Territory podcast and was asked if there was anyone in camp that's impressed him so far. He mentioned Matzek's name without hesitation. Boone continued stating, "He looks a lot like, a few years ago, Atlanta Braves Tyler Matzek."
Tyler Matzek is impressing the Yankees early on in camp
We all know how incredible Matzek is and how hard he is for opponents to face when he's on. Boone said he made his spring debut on Tuesday in Fort Myers. He stated he could tell the southpaw was healthy and throwing with "easy power."
A lot of Matzek's issues last year stemmed from the elbow issue and a decrease in velocity. If he can gain some velocity back on his fastball, he will be right back where he was with Atlanta in 2021 when he produced a 2.57 ERA over 63 innings.
The Yankees only have one left-handed pitcher on their 40-man roster and that's Tim Hill. Should Matzek continue to impress Boone and return to his dominant self, he will make a fine addition to their bullpen.