New York Mets trading pitcher Steven Matz to Toronto Blue Jays
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Steven Matz, the Long Island kid, grew up a Mets fan. His dream came true when he debuted for the team in 2015 and, since, he’s been a mainstay in the club’s rotation.
That’s why Wednesday night’s news marks the end of an era.
The Mets are trading Matz to the Blue Jays, a person with knowledge of the situation confirmed to The Bergen (New Jersey) Record. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal was not yet official. The Mets, per reports, are receiving right-handed pitching prospects Josh Winckowski, Sean Reid-Foley and Yennsy Diaz in return.
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For the first time since he was drafted in 2009, Matz will play for an organization not named the New York Mets.
By trading Matz, the Mets save the $5.2 million they owed him in 2021. Of course, there is also speculation that they moved him to clear room for top free agent starter Trevor Bauer, to whom the club has been linked recently.
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Multiple reports suggest the Mets already have an offer out to Bauer. If that’s the case, trading Matz could be preparation for Bauer to accept. It can also just be a salary dump, a way for the Mets to free up money to use in filling other needs.
We’ll soon see.
On June 28, 2015, his first start, Matz announced himself to the fanbase — of which he was a part — with a two-run double in his first big league plate appearance. He finished with three hits and four RBI, and held the Reds to two runs over 7⅔ innings, to lead the Mets to victory.
Matz leaves Queens with a 4.35 career ERA over 112 games (107 of them starts). His ERA looks worse because of an awful 2020 campaign during which he posted a 9.68 ERA.
Still, even with a bullpen demotion toward the end of his tenure, he was a part of the franchise’s rotation since the day he broke onto the scene. He pitched in the postseason in 2015, including in Game 4 of the World Series against the Royals.
Justin Toscano is the Mets beat writer for NorthJersey.com. Email: toscanoj@northjersey.com. Twitter: @justinctoscano
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: New York Mets trading pitcher Steven Matz to Toronto Blue Jays