It remains to be seen if the Atlanta Braves made big enough moves this past offseason following the Los Angeles Dodgers’ shopping spree. Adding Chris Sale does not exactly make this pitching staff less of a wild card, as more stable options like Sonny Gray opted to sign elsewhere in free agency. There is one proven difference-maker who is joining the club, however.
Or, rather rejoining it. October hero Tyler Matzek is poised to return to the bullpen after a long layoff.
“I’m feeling really good, especially in the last like week and a half, two weeks,” the left-handed reliever said, per The Athletic’s David O’Brien. “Everything’s clicking, timing’s getting a lot better. Everything feels really, really good. I mean, it felt really good when I shut it down in October (2023, after 12 months of rehab). And coming back, it’s been just how it’s supposed to be.”
Matzek was limited with back and elbow issues in 2022 and missed the entirety of last season to recover from Tommy John surgery. Those hardships are almost completely behind him, though. He is pitching in spring training without limitations. Assuming the former first-round draft pick (Colorado Rockies) moves forward without any setbacks, he should be on the Braves’ Opening Day roster.
This great news should fire up an Atlanta fan base that is seen its team go home early in two consecutive postseasons. A healthy Tyler Matzek was not going to be enough on its own to alter that fate, but his impact will forever live in Braves lore. The 33-year-old has a magnificent 1.48 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 20 playoff appearances across 2020 and 2021 and was instrumental in their World Series title run.
Championships are not won without bullpen heroes, and the Braves are getting theirs back soon.
More must-reads: