New York Mets: The Steven Matz question

The New York Mets need to determine what they will do with Steven Matz before the season slips even further away.

Steven Matz was set to be an important part of the New York Mets starting rotation. With Noah Syndergaard out for the season, and Marcus Stroman on the Injured List before he opted out of the season, the Mets needed Matz to step up as their second starter.

Instead, Matz has imploded to begin the year. He has struggled to the point where he may be pulled from the rotation.

Matz had essentially settled in as a league average arm over the past few years, but has not been close to that thus far. He has allowed a league leading 23 earned runs and nine homers in his 23 innings, numbers that have greatly contributed to his 0-4 record.

But the numbers are not all bad with Matz. He has struck out 23 batters and issued just six walks. His velocity is in line with his career rates on every offering, so that does not appear to be a cause for concern.

The biggest difference thus far is the usage of his slider and changeup. He has dropped his slider usage from a career high 14.44% last season to just 3.56% this year. Meanwhile, he has bumped up the use of his changeup from 20.07% in 2019 to 27.11% this season.

It is easy to see why he has decreased the usage of his slider as it has been crushed thus far, with opponents posting a 1.333 slugging percentage against the offering, nearly triple the .471 slugging percentage against from 2019. Meanwhile, his change has been solid, with a .550 slugging percentage against.

Matz’s fastball has also been solid, but the problem has been his finding a third pitch this year. His curve has also been getting crushed, with a .813 slugging percentage against. Perhaps an increased reliance on his fastball/changeup combination will help right the ship, with Matz essentially using his breaking stuff for show until he can find a pitch that works.

Until then, the New York Mets need to determine whether or not Steven Matz stays in the rotation. Given their lack of depth, they may not have a choice.