A postseason legend for his October 2021 heroics, Tyler Matzek’s comeback this year after Tommy John surgery has been disappointing. The left-hander has pitched in 11 games for the Braves, posting a rough 9.90 ERA, 5.96 FIP, and 1.900 WHIP.
But beyond the statistics, Tyler Matzek didn’t resemble his former self. His velocity had dropped significantly, more than two miles per hour from its peak in 2021 when his average fastball was 96 mph. In early May, the Braves placed Matzek on the IL with elbow inflammation, which initially seemed more like a precaution. However, there were genuine concerns about potential UCL damage.
Shortly after being placed on the IL, Matzek underwent an MRI on his elbow. Fortunately, the results revealed that his UCL was intact. However, the MRI did detect an issue with his flexor tendon.
“It wasn’t even on the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL), it was on the flexor,” Matzek explained to Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “They thought it was a flexor strain, flexor tear, something involving the flexor. That was the main concern, not the UCL. The UCL graft looks fantastic. It wasn’t general inflammation either, but a specific spot on the flexor.”
Regarding his potential return, Tyler Matzek doesn’t want to set a timetable.
“I don’t want to set a timeline because I’m not sure,” Matzek told Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Once we start throwing off the mound, we’ll better understand how much work I’ll need to be game-ready. We’re still in the build-up phase, and only after we start mound work will we be able to assess my current skill level.”
Injuries are never a positive, especially for someone like Tyler Matzek, who has faced numerous challenges since the start of the 2022 season. However, discovering a specific issue may provide some relief, which might explain his underwhelming performance early in the season.
It seems unlikely that we’ll see the same version of Tyler Matzek who electrified Truist Park during Game 6 of the NLCS. He won’t be automatically granted a roster spot once he’s deemed healthy, but he does appear to have another opportunity to demonstrate his value to the Braves’ bullpen.
