The St. Louis Cardinals placed starting pitcher Steven Matz on the bereavement list on Tuesday and recalled left-hander Packy Naughton from Triple-A Memphis in a corresponding move. Matz won his third game of the season on Monday when he held the Kansas City Royals scoreless over six innings of work, walking none and striking out four. The 30-year-old has allowed 12 earned runs on 29 hits while walking only five and striking out 27 in 23 2/3 innings over his first five starts for the Cardinals this year. He'll miss anywhere from three to seven days while on the bereavement list, so it remains to be seen if he'll make his next scheduled start this Saturday against the San Francisco Giants on the road.

St. Louis Cardinals left-hander Steven Matz pitched well in a 1-0 win over the Kansas City Royals on Monday. Matz tossed six shutout innings while striking out four on the way to improving his record to 3-1 on the season. The 30-year-old has been decent for the Cardinals in his first season in St. Louis, posting a 4.56 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, and 27 strikeouts over 23 2/3 innings of work. Matz has actually pitched better than his ERA indicates if you factor out his rough 2022 season debut in which he coughed up seven runs. He will take on the San Francisco Giants on Saturday next time out.

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Steven Matz managed to avoid a loss to his former team Wednesday, as the lefty allowed four runs on six hits and two walks in four innings to the New York Mets. He struck out six batters. Matz is still seeking his first quality start of the year, having maxed out at 5 2/3 innings over his first four appearances. Though 17 2/3 innings in 2022, he has pitched to a 6.11 ERA and 1.70 WHIP, numbers which indicate his place is on the fantasy waiver wire.

St. Louis Cardinals left-hander Steven Matz (finger) will make his second start of the season on Saturday on the road against the Milwaukee Brewers. Matz was bothered by a blister in his season debut last Sunday in a loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, when he allowed seven earned runs and nine hits while walking one and striking out five in just three innings. The 30-year-old southpaw will get back on the bump on Saturday, but fantasy managers may want to avoid him until he proves the blister is no longer an issue. Matz was solid for the Toronto Blue Jays last year, going 14-7 with a 3.82 ERA, a 1.33 WHIP, 144 strikeouts and 43 walks in 150 2/3 innings over 29 starts.

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Steven Matz (finger) is scheduled to make his start Friday against the Milwaukee Brewers. The 30-year-old dealt with a blister and was shelled for nine hits and seven earned runs in last Sunday's 9-4 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The blister won't be an issue for Matz, and he should be all systems go against a Brewers offense that has struggled lately. On Friday, fantasy managers can use Matz as a streamer in most league formats. Still, they should tread carefully as the southpaw allowed a ton of hard contact to a bottom-five offense in his previous start against the lowly Pirates.

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Steven Matz had an ugly outing versus the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday. He only lasted three innings, allowing nine hits and seven earned runs in the 9-4 loss. This is quite surprising considering the Pirates lineup is actually better versus right-handed pitching. Nonetheless, Matz got crushed and allowed a ton of hard contact all game long. Matz has shown in the past that he can be a reliable option in the major league rotation. However, he won't be a favorable option in his next start versus the Milwaukee Brewers.

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Steven Matz got the start in Monday's Grapefruit League game and pitched well, tossing two scoreless innings while allowing two hits and striking out two without issuing a walk. Matz will be a fixture in the Cardinals rotation after signing a four-year, $44 million deal in November. He was a consistent starting option for the Blue Jays last season, starting 29 games and posting a 3.82 ERA. He doesn't pile up strikeouts, but should still be a decent last starter in mixed leagues.

The St. Louis Cardinals and left-hander Steven Matz agreed to a four-year, $44 million deal on Wednesday, according to a source. With incentives, the deal can be worth up to $48 million. The New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays were the other finalists for his services. The 30-year-old had a very nice bounce-back season in Toronto in 2021, posting a 3.82 ERA over 29 starts. The Cardinals reportedly lured Matz away from returning to the Mets by adding a fourth year to the deal. The southpaw will slot into a rotation that includes Adam Wainwright, Jack Flaherty, Dakota Hudson and Miles Mikolas. Matz excels by keeping the ball out of the air, featuring a 46.3 ground-ball rate in his bounce-back season for the Jays.

Free agent starting pitcher Steven Matz's market appears to be heating up, and he could be nearing a decision on where he'll spend the next few years of his career, according to MLB Network's Jon Heyman. MLB.com's Mark Feinsand notes a conclusion could come on Wednesday. The Red Sox, Blue Jays, Tigers, Cubs, Cardinals, Giants, Angels, and Mets are all among the teams that have expressed interest in the left-hander. Matz spent the first six seasons of his big-league career with the Mets before posting a 3.82 ERA and 1.33 WHIP with 144 strikeouts in 150 2/3 innings for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2021. He was not offered a qualifying offer, but he appears to be in line for a significant multi-year deal.

The Toronto Blue Jays have already locked up right-hander Jose Berrios to a seven-year extension, and they are now setting their sights on bringing back two other members of their 2021 rotation, left-handers Robbie Ray and Steven Matz. Each had a breakout season in Toronto, with Ray winning the Cy Young Award and Matz posting a 3.82 ERA, his best since 2016. Each has been reported to have a robust market, but with little future payroll tied up, Toronto is in prime position to make a push to retain them. For fantasy purposes, the continuity of a return to the Jays would provide the most confidence in a repeat of their excellent years. Matz's market is moving more quickly, and it's possible he could sign before the end of November.

The New York Mets have interest in bringing back free-agent left-hander Steven Matz following his breakout season with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2021. Matz is from Long Island, New York, and enjoyed his time with the Mets from 2015 to 2020. The Mets traded Matz to Toronto in January after he had an ugly 9.68 ERA in 30 2/3 innings in the shortened 2020 season. But the southpaw rebounded nicely with the Jays, posting a 3.28 ERA in 150 2/3 innings pitched. Because of his strong season in 2021, the Mets aren't the only suitor for the left-hander's services, but he would make a nice back-of-the-rotation arm for the Mets after they lost Noah Syndergaard in free agency.

The Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals are reportedly "in on" free-agent starter Steven Matz, according to Newsday's Tim Healey. Matz found plenty of success in 2021 in his first season in a Toronto Blue Jays uniform, registering a 3.82 ERA, a 3.79 FIP, 144 strikeouts and 43 walks in 150 2/3 innings for the American League East club. It's certainly not surprising to see so many starter-needy teams interested in the left-hander after the Blue Jays didn't extend a qualifying offer to him. Of the four teams listed by Healey, the Dodgers have already addressed their rotation needs, at least in part, by signing free-agent hurler Andrew Heaney.

The Toronto Blue Jays are reportedly interested in re-signing starting pitcher Steven Matz, according to a tweet from The New York Post's Joel Sherman. In his first season with the Blue Jays, the left-hander pitched to a 3.82 ERA and a 3.79 FIP in 150.2 innings, striking out 144 batters while surrendering 43 walks. With Matz and fellow starter Robbie Ray currently free agents, Toronto's rotation options at present include Hyun-Jin Ryu, Jose Berrios, Alek Manoah, and Ross Stripling.

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Steven Matz recently turned down a contract extension offer from the team. With the Blue Jays deciding not to extend a one-year, $18.4 million qualifying offer to Matz, he is headed towards free agency this winter. He was terrible in 30 2/3 innings for the New York Mets in 2020, posting a 9.68 ERA. But Matz turned things around in Toronto, recording a 3.82 ERA in 150 2/3 innings pitched. When healthy, Matz has been a consistent middle-of-the-rotation arm and has had a strikeout rate between 22-24% in four of his last six seasons. The 30-year-old played this year on a $5.25 million salary, so he almost certainly would have accepted a qualifying offer. Matz could be even more attractive in fantasy in 2022 now that he looks likely to leave the tough American League East.

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Steven Matz kept the Yankees lineup in check on Tuesday, allowing one run over six innings in the club's 5-1 win. The left-hander gave up seven hits without walking a batter while striking out six in the 93-pitch effort, improving his record to 11-7 on the season. Matz has had an up-and-down 2021, but he's now strung together seven-straight games of allowing two earned runs or fewer to lower his season-long ERA to 3.70. His 1.33 WHIP or 122 K in 129 IP on the year isn't anything to brag about, but his improved play of late is starting to move his needle back to fantasy relevance especially with a date against the Orioles this weekend.

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Steven Matz had a strong start versus the Tigers on Sunday, tossing six innings of one-run ball in the team's extra-inning loss. The left-hander surrendered just five hits and no walks with the only run coming off Miguel Cabrera's 500th career home run in the sixth, but he was stuck with a no-decision after a blown save in the ninth. Matz struck out just one batter in the matinee as he with a 10-7 record, 3.94 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, and 109 K in 112 IP in 2021. The veteran hasn't stayed consistent enough for fantasy purposes this season, but he's a streaming candidate for his next scheduled start in a rematch against Detroit next weekend.

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Steven Matz seen his record fall to 9-7 as his club was defeated by the Angels 6-3 in Tuesday's first game of a doubleheader. The southpaw gave up four runs (two earned) on six hits and three walks in 4 2/3 IP before exiting with 97 pitches thrown on the afternoon. He managed to punch out five batters in the loss to up his season-long total to a respectable 104 K over 101 IP, but his 4.28 ERA and 1.40 WHIP leave more to be desired for fantasy purposes. Matz hasn't shown much consistency to even be considered as a streaming option despite a decent matchup versus the Mariners coming this weekend.

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Steven Matz shut down the Indians offense on Wednesday, tossing six-scoreless frames in the club's 8-6 win. The southpaw struck out eight while surrendering six hits and a walk in the 92-pitch effort as he improved his record to 9-6 on the season. Matz hasn't had much consistency in 2021, but he has put together several dominant outings like this one throughout the year. It's been difficult to predict when they will occur so rostering him can be a bit of a roller coaster ride. Matz will take a 4.30 ERA and 1.37 WHIP into his next start versus the Angels.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Aaron Judge went from being a late scratch to hitting a tiebreaking single in a two-run 10th inning to help the New York Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays for the second straight day, 3-1 on Wednesday night. Judge was taken out of the lineup about 30 minutes before the scheduled first pitch. Although no announcement was made about why, the All-Star right fielder struck out in the fifth pinch-hitting for Estevan Florial. Judge returned to the team Tuesday after going on the COVID-19 injured list July 16. New York also had a big night off the field. The Yankees reached a deal to get All-Star slugger Joey Gallo from the Texas Rangers, a person familiar with the trade told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the move had not yet been announced and was subject to approval of medical records of the players involved. Greg Allen was hit by a pitch from Pete Fairbanks (3-4) leading off the 10th, putting runners on first and second. Judge... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Aaron Judge went from being a late scratch to hitting a tiebreaking single in a two-run 10th inning to help the New York Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays for the second straight day, 3-1 on Wednesday night. Judge was taken out of the lineup about 30 minutes before the scheduled first pitch. Although no announcement was made about why, the All-Star right fielder struck out in the fifth pinch-hitting for Estevan Florial. Judge returned to the team Tuesday after going on the COVID-19 injured list July 16. New York also had a big night off the field. The Yankees reached a deal to get All-Star slugger Joey Gallo from the Texas Rangers, a person familiar with the trade told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the move had not yet been announced and was subject to approval of medical records of the players involved. Greg Allen was hit by a pitch from Pete Fairbanks (3-4) leading off the 10th, putting runners on first and second. Judge... [More]