If you're a constant reader of Pitcher List, you'd know that I have a large infatuation with Steven Matz. He was the only pitcher with 100 Innings or more in 2017 to have all four of his pitches carry a 50%+ zone rate and I believe has the complete approach + repertoire to be a legitimate ace. After missing the first two full months of the year, Matz made his first trip to the mound today to face the Atlanta Braves in the second game of a double-header and I was excited. It has been reported that Matz will be abandoning his Slider and stick to his strong Fastball-Curveball-Changeup arsenal as he claimed he felt the effects of throwing the pitch on his elbow. I was curious to see if he could still be effective without the pitch, while showcasing the high level of polish we had seen in the past, and sat down to watch the affair. Here is the GIF Breakdown of Steven Matz's 2017 Debut against the Atlanta Braves in 15 HD GIFs.
As always, let's look first at Matz's strikezone plot for the game:
Tough crowd! But seriously this was a really neat write up. It’s obvious you know your stuff and the presentation is spot on. I’ll be back for sure. Nice work.
Thanks Jon!