Relief pitcher Brad Brach went through his normal workout routine Thursday morning with a good friend and now a former teammate Steven Matz, which the Mets traded to the Toronto Blue Jays the night before in exchange for three prospects.
It was no surprise that Brach and Matz discussed the elephant in the room, given that Matz was traded for the first time in his career by the only team he’s ever known in the Mets.
“It’s kind of the first time he knows someone really wants him there,” Brach told Metsmerized in an exclusive phone interview. “Not so much that the Mets didn’t want him, but it’s always nice to know you’re being looked for elsewhere and it will be a good refresher for Steve.”
Matz was drafted by the Mets in the second round of the 2009 MLB draft. The Long Island native made it into major leagues with the Amazins in 2015 at the age of 24, helping them reach the World Series, gaining a dominant position. rotation that consisted of Jacob deGrom, Matt Harvey and fellow rookie Noah Syndergaard.
The left-handed was expected to be a top starter, but injuries and inconsistency prevented what was supposed to be a great career with the Mets. In six seasons in Queens, Matz had a record of 31-41 in 107 starts while pitching for an ERA of 4.35 and FIP of 4.49. He also struggled with the long ball, allowing 96 home runs. Last season, Matz endured the worst year of his Major League-tenure, 0-5 with a 9.68 ERA and 14 homers in 30.2 innings.
Like Matz, Brach had a similar experience with the San Diego Padres, who fielded him in 2008 and had extremely high expectations once he hit the show.
“I felt like they kept waiting for something else to come and it never got that far,” said Brach. “That’s what struck me about Steve. When the same eyes have seen the same pitcher for so long it’s hard to make changes so I think he needs new eyes for him. It has everything you could want in a left-handed starter. “
Brach was eventually traded to the Orioles in 2013 and would put it all together later in his career, becoming an All-Star for Baltimore in 2016.
The resident of Freehold, New Jersey, believes a change of scenery could be just what the doctor ordered for Matz, because now he can do what makes him successful again.
“I told Steve I was such a yes-man early in my career,” said Brach. ‘You can’t please too many people. You need to find out what works for you before doing what the rest wants. “
While the Mets chose to offer Matz for $ 5.2 million earlier in the off-season, trading him gets that salary off the books this year. This could potentially pave the way for Steve Cohen and co. sign Cy Young Prize Winner Trevor Bauer, with whom they have been strongly connected lately.
If the Mets added Bauer to their starting rotation, Brach thinks it would have a huge effect on the bullpen as well.
“Obviously, adding someone like that strengthens your rotation, putting less pressure on the bullpen,” he said.
After a battle with COVID-19 last summer, Brach had a tough season for the Mets full of “starts and stops”, posting a career worst 5.84 ERA while spending 14 times in 12.1 innings. But the 34-year-old says he’s ready to put in the rearview mirror last year, as his arm was admittedly out of shape due to the unorthodox conditions caused by the pandemic.
Brach says he’s someone who benefits from putting weight on his arm as it helps strengthen him as the season goes on. He also said this is the best his arm has felt in years and expects to be back around its normal speed of 94-95mph, which it was unable to achieve a season ago.
The veteran righthanded pitcher throws to the new Mets-catcher James McCann this off-season, with whom he has built up chemistry over the years. And given their extensive experience together, Brach’s familiarity with McCann could contribute to a bounce back 2021 campaign.
