Steven Matz
P STL
Mon 5/27/24 2:45 PM

Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Monday that Matz (back) will throw a "light" bullpen session Wednesday, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
EDGE Analysis
Matz began playing catch last week following a pair of pain-killing injections in his lower back and he's almost ready to try things from the bump with low intensity. The left-hander still looks to be several weeks away from a potential return.

Steven Matz
P STL
Tue 5/21/24 8:10 PM

Matz (back) was cleared to resume playing catch Tuesday, Lynn Worthy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
EDGE Analysis
Matz has been shut down from throwing since receiving a second pain-killing injection in his lower back May 12. The Cardinals haven't set a return timeline for the 32-year-old lefty, though a clearer picture may emerge once he gets back to throwing off a mound.

Steven Matz
P STL
Sun 5/12/24 1:51 PM

Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Sunday that Matz will require another pain-killing injection for the protruding disc in his lower back and won't resume throwing for at least another week, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
EDGE Analysis
With Matz having yet to even resume playing catch since landing on the 15-day injured list May 3 due to the back issue, he appears safe to rule out for a return when he's first eligible to come off the IL next weekend. The southpaw had initially been scheduled to throw a bullpen session Tuesday, but the Cardinals opted to have him get another injection for his back after he hadn't responded to a week of rest as well as the team had hoped. The Cardinals will turn to Matthew Liberatore to make a second straight start in place of Matz on Monday versus the Angels.

Steven Matz
P STL
Fri 5/10/24 5:26 PM

Matz (back) played catch off the mound Friday in St. Louis, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
EDGE Analysis
Matz has been on the 15-day injured list since May 3 while dealing with a lower-back strain, more specifically a protruding disc, but manager Oli Marmol said Friday that the expectation for the left-hander is for him to throw at a higher intensity Monday. It's unclear how close Matz is to returning to game action, but prior to being activated from the injured list, he'll likely have to make at least one rehab start with a minor-league affiliate.

Steven Matz
P STL
Fri 5/3/24 5:48 PM

Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Friday that an MRI showed that Matz has a "protruding disc" in his lower back, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
EDGE Analysis
Matz was placed on the 15-day IL on Friday after sustaining a lower-back injury in Tuesday's loss to the Tigers. Matz received a pain-killing injection for the injury Friday, and the southpaw will be reevaluated early next week. He went 1-2 over six starts with a 6.18 ERA and 1.73 WHIP before landing on the injured list.

Steven Matz
P STL
Fri 5/3/24 1:13 PM

The Cardinals placed Matz on the 15-day injured list Friday, retroactive to May 1, with a lower-back strain.
EDGE Analysis
Matz attempted to pitch through back soreness in his last start Tuesday in Detroit, but it didn't go well and an MRI has revealed a strain. It's not clear at this point how long he might be on the shelf. The Cards haven't revealed who will take Matz's spot in the rotation, but his next turn would be Tuesday and Sem Robberse would be on regular rest that day.

Steven Matz
P STL
Wed 5/1/24 12:14 PM

Matz will undergo an MRI on his injured back Thursday, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.
EDGE Analysis
Matz attempted to pitch through a back issue during a loss to the Tigers on Tuesday, but he struggled and will now undergo testing. The Cardinals will wait until the results of the exam come in before deciding on a potential stint on the injured list for the left-hander. Of the potential candidates on the Cardinals' 40-man roster that could take Matz's rotation spot, Sem Robberse has pitched the best at Triple-A Memphis, sporting a 1.82 ERA and 29:6 K:BB over 29.2 innings.

Steven Matz
P STL
Wed 5/1/24 9:19 AM

Matz pitched through a lower-back injury during Tuesday's loss to the Tigers, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
EDGE Analysis
Matz first dealt with soreness while jogging a few days before his start, but he responded well to treatments and didn't have an issue during his between-starts bullpen session, clearing the way for him to make his scheduled start. However, Matz's velocity was well down in the outing and he wound up allowing four runs on seven hits and two walks over 3.1 innings, admitting after the start that he "wasn't able to finish like I normally do." The Cardinals weren't ready to say after the outing whether Matz might need a trip to the injured list, but it sounds like it could be a possibility. The lefty's next outing is tentatively lined up to come either Sunday versus the White Sox or Monday against the Mets.

Steven Matz
P STL
Tue 4/30/24 10:15 PM

Matz escaped with a no-decision in the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Tigers, giving up four runs on seven hits and two walks over 3.1 innings in an 11-6 loss. He struck out only one.
EDGE Analysis
The southpaw got the hook after 73 pitches (45 strikes) with the Cardinals in a 4-0 hole, but Matz avoided the loss when the two teams combined for eight runs in the fifth inning. It was his shortest start of the season so far, but he's failed to complete five innings in three of his last four outings, getting tagged for 17 earned runs in 17.1 frames over that stretch. Matz will carry a 6.18 ERA, 1.73 WHIP and 17:11 K:BB through 27.2 innings into his next start, which could come at home this weekend against the White Sox.

Steven Matz
P STL
Mon 4/29/24 4:56 PM

Matz and the Cardinals won't play Monday against the Tigers after the game was postponed due to inclement weather in Detroit.
EDGE Analysis
The game will be made up as part of a traditional doubleheader Tuesday. As a result of the postponement, Matz will likely just be pushed back one day in the pitching schedule to start one half of Tuesday's twin bill.