Mon 4/11/22 12:04 PM

Matz developed a blister on his left hand in his Cardinals debut during Sunday's 9-4 loss to the Pirates, an issue manager Oliver Marmol attributed to the southpaw's poor outing, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
EDGE Analysis
While Matz struck out five batters while walking just one, he also allowed seven runs on nine hits in his three innings, giving him a loss in his first outing of the season. Five of those runs came in the third inning -- the frame in which the blister reportedly developed -- with two more scoring in the fourth before he was able to record an out. The rough season debut followed a shaky spring in which he stumbled to a 5.23 ERA in three starts, but the Cardinals are seemingly considering all of his struggles Sunday to be blister-related and aren't worried about him long-term. He's expected to take his next turn in the rotation, which lines up to come Friday in Milwaukee.