On this day in 2015, the Mets’ southpaw had a day for the ages on the mound and at the plate.
June 28, 2015 is a day that will live on in history, but for reasons outside of the expected. It was on this day that Steven Matz made his debut. And it was on this day he won his Major League debut. It was on this day that Matz made his biggest impact…at the plate.
What’s more, it wasn’t a typical day. The game from the previous night had to finish and it extended until the 13th inning before the Mets finally walked off a winner. Then it was the New York native’s turn to write his name in the books.
It started with a 96 MPH fastball that missed to Brandon Phillips. After lagging far behind in the count, Matz gave up a solo shot to start the game. Immediately, it was 1-0. However, Matz regrouped and got out of the frame.
In the second inning, the table was set for Matz to begin what wound up being a monster day. He drilled an 0-1 fastball into center for a double and plated two runs to give the Mets the lead. After the Reds tied it up in the fourth, the Mets went ahead again in the fifth and never looked back on their way to a 7-2 win.
And who can forget the cutaways to his family celebrating every big moment of that game – especially Matz’s grandfather. It all added an extra layer to a special day.
For Matz, he became the first pitcher on record to have at least three hits and four RBI in his debut. Oh, and he turned in a pretty good day on the hill too, as he spanned 7.2 frames and his fastball velocity was at its highest average in his six appearances that year, according to Fangraphs.
It was a launching point for Matz, who went on to pitch even better against the Dodgers in his next start when he threw six shutout frames, struck out eight, and achieved a game score of 74.
It’s been a tumultuous ride with various injuries preventing Mets fans from seeing Matz’s full potential, although he has been able to stay healthy the last two seasons with 60 total starts in that time frame.
Through all the ups and downs Matz has gone through since, this day was certainly one that will be remembered by many for years to come. It has become a “Where were you when…” moment in team history that will always be remembered fondly.
