Yankees Sign Tyler Matzek to Minor League Deal Ahead of Spring Training

NEW YORK, NY — On the eve of pitchers and catchers reporting for spring training, the New York Yankees have signed veteran reliever Tyler Matzek to a minor league contract, which includes an invitation to attend training camp. The signing was confirmed by sources to ESPN on Monday night.

Matzek, who is entering his age-34 season, has had a tumultuous career but was a key contributor to the Atlanta Braves‘ bullpen during their 2021 World Series championship run. Over the course of three seasons with the Braves, he posted a 2.92 earned run average (ERA) over 135.2 innings across 132 appearances.

However, injuries have plagued Matzek in recent years. He underwent Tommy John surgery in October 2022, which caused him to miss the entire 2023 season and limited him to just 11 appearances since then. After making his return in 2024, Matzek struggled, registering a 9.90 ERA in 10 innings and exhibiting left elbow inflammation that kept him sidelined.

During the 2022 National League Division Series, Matzek’s elbow issues began to emerge, eventually leading to the need for surgical intervention. He was traded to the Texas Rangers in July 2022 but was released mid-rehab. Subsequently, he re-signed with the Braves but did not make it back to the majors.

Despite these challenges, Matzek is known for his ability to strike out batters at a high rate, with a career strikeout percentage of 27.4% from 2020 to 2022. This might appeal to Yankees management, which has reportedly prioritized adding left-handed relief pitchers to their roster.

Tim Hill, another left-handed reliever who was inked to a one-year, $2.85 million contract last week, is currently the only lefty on the Yankees’ 40-man roster. Other left-handed pitchers invited to spring training include Brandon Leibrandt and Jayvien Sandridge, who will vie for roster spots as non-roster invitees.

The Yankees’ pitching coach, Matt Blake, has a history of revitalizing the careers of relief pitchers, which could bode well for Matzek if he can regain his pre-injury form. Yankees fans are eager to see how the veteran reliever fares as spring training unfolds.