The Mets defeated the Reds by the score of 7-2 in Steven Matz’s major league debut. Here are the takeaways from Sunday’s win…
Meet the Matz.
That… Was… Incredible.
Over the past few seasons, I’ve watched pitching prospect after pitching prospect come up and make their highly anticipated debuts. From Matt Harvey to Zack Wheeler to Jacob deGrom to Noah Syndergaard, this kind of thing has gotten to become a bit of the norm for the Mets. Today was anything but.
I wasn’t sure what to expect, quite honestly, but Steven Matz was absolutely scintillating.
Things didn’t start of so well for Matz, as he allowed a home run to Brandon Phillips to leadoff the game, and he was clearly fighting some nerves as he got through a 21-pitch 1st inning. Everything completely changed after that. Matz settled down on the mound, showing off his electric fastball that sat between 95 and 96 MPH throughout most of his outing as well as a tight, spinning curveball and a pretty darn effective change-up as well.
Things really got electric, though, when the young lefty stepped up to bat. I knew Matz could hit–he was hitting .304 in Triple-A Las Vegas this season–but this was just ridiculous. In his first career at-bat, Matz boomed a two-run double to center field over the head of speedy outfielder Billy Hamilton, causing the Citi Field crowd, as well as his large contingent of family members in attendance, to go completely berserk.
In his second at-bat in the 5th, after trying to get a sacrifice bunt down earlier in the AB, Matz wound up with a single on a hit-and-run play. But it was in the bottom of the 6th when we were treated with perhaps the best moment of the day as Matz ripped a single into right-center field with the bases loaded, scoring two more runs, driving the crowd, his family and specifically his grandfather into a frenzy and capping off his 3-for-3 day at the plate with four RBI.
The buzz carried over from the plate back to the mound, as Matz ended the 7th with a flourish by blowing away Jason Bourgeois on a 2-strike fastball to end the frame and, what I thought would be his final inning. Terry Collins surprised many fans, myself included, when he brought Matz out to start the 8th. This was a bit of a curious move, but Matz sure made Collins look smart as he recorded the first two outs of the inning with ease. After a two-out walk to Joey Votto, Matz’s day was done and he walked off the field to a roaring applause for at least the 5th time on Sunday.
On the SNY telecast, analyst Ron Darling called Matz’s performance “the most impressive debut I’ve ever seen.”
It really was an incredible performance for Matz–a second round pick, someone the Mets just barely were able to sign before the deadline and a guy who missed three years due to Tommy John surgery–in the first start of his career. He was truly the story of this game. I could not have been more impressed.
Let’s go Mets. Let’s go Matz.
Other notes from Sunday:
The Mets scored at least three runs for the first time since June 20th.
Curtis Granderson continued his hot hitting as he went 2-for-5 with a double and 2 RBI.
Wilmer Flores started at second base for the first time this season in the win.
Steven Matz became the 1st pitcher in the last 100 years with 4 RBI in his major league debut.
Matz is the first Mets player in general to record 4 RBI in his debut.
Matz is the 11th player in the last 100 years to have 3 hits and 4 RBI in his major league debut. Rangers outfielder Joey Gallo also accomplished the feat earlier this year.
After losing seven straight games, the Mets have now won four in a row.
Just Mets 