The Braves have brought back left-hander Tyler Matzek on a minor league contract as of August 31, according to his MLB.com profile. Matzek has been assigned to Triple-A Gwinnett and, having signed before September 1, he is eligible for the Braves’ postseason roster.
Matzek is well-acquainted with postseason baseball in Atlanta, having been a crucial part of the Braves’ bullpen during their 2021 World Series run. He posted strong numbers again in 2022 but missed out on another playoff appearance due to Tommy John surgery in October of that year. After spending the entire 2023 season recovering from the surgery, Matzek returned to the mound this year but struggled with a 9.90 ERA over 10 innings in the majors.
An elbow inflammation issue sidelined Matzek in May, and he hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since. He was traded to the Giants as part of the Jorge Soler deal at the trade deadline and pitched in five games for their Triple-A team before being released by San Francisco earlier this week.
Now back with the Braves, Matzek will likely continue to work on his form in Gwinnett. His brief stint at Triple-A Sacramento didn’t yield great results, as he posted a 5.79 ERA over just 4 2/3 innings. However, the Braves have a history of reuniting with former players, and there’s no risk in adding Matzek to the Triple-A roster, especially since Atlanta is already responsible for the remainder of his $1.9 million salary for the 2024 season.
