Relief pitcher Brad Brach went through his normal workout routine on Thursday morning with close friend and now former teammate Steven Matz, who the Mets dealt to the Toronto Blue Jays the night before in exchange for three prospects.
To no surprise, Brach and Matz discussed the elephant in the room as Matz was traded for the first time in his career by the only team he has ever known in the Mets.
“It’s kind of the first time he has known that someone really wants him there,” Brach told Metsmerized in an exclusive phone interview. “Not so much that the Mets didn’t want him, but it’s always nice to know that you’re wanted elsewhere and it’ll be a good refresher for Steve.”
Matz was drafted by the Mets in the second-round of the 2009 MLB draft. The Long Island native made it to the big leagues with the Amazins’ in 2015 at the age of 24 and helped them reach the World Series, filling into a dominant rotation that consisted of Jacob deGrom, Matt Harvey and fellow rookie Noah Syndergaard.
The left-hander was projected to be a top of the line starter, but injuries and inconsistency prevented what was supposed to be a stellar career with the Mets. In six seasons in Queens, Matz had a 31-41 record in 107 starts while pitching to an ERA of 4.35 and FIP of 4.49. He also struggled with the long ball, allowing 96 total home runs. Last season, Matz endured the worst year of his major league tenure, going 0-5 with a 9.68 ERA and surrendering 14 homers in 30.2 innings.
Like Matz, Brach had a similar experience with the San Diego Padres, who drafted him back in 2008 and had extremely high expectations once he reached the show.
“I felt like they kept waiting for something else to come and it never got to that point,” Brach said. “That’s what I’ve noticed with Steve. When the same eyes have seen the same pitcher for so long, it’s hard to make changes, so I think he needs new eyes on him. He has all the stuff that you’d want in a left-handed starter.”
Brach wound up getting traded to the Orioles in 2013 and eventually would put it all together later on his career becoming an All-Star for Baltimore in 2016.
The Freehold, New Jersey native believes a change of scenery could be just what the doctor ordered for Matz because he now can go back to doing what makes him successful.
“I told Steve, I was such a yes-man early on in my career,” Brach said. “You can’t be too much of a people pleaser. You need to figure out what works for you before doing what everyone else wants.”
Although the Mets chose to tender Matz earlier this offseason for $5.2 million, trading him gets that salary off the books this year. This could potentially pave the way for Steve Cohen and co. to sign Cy Young award winner Trevor Bauer, whom they’ve been heavily linked to as of late.
If the Mets were to add Bauer to their starting rotation, Brach thinks it would have a tremendous effect on the bullpen, as well.
“Obviously adding someone like that strengthens your rotation, which puts less pressure on the bullpen,” he said.
After a bout with COVID-19 last summer, Brach had a tough season of his own for the Mets filled with “starts and stops,” where he posted a career-worst 5.84 ERA while issuing 14 walks in 12.1 innings. But the 34-year-old says he is ready to put last year in the rearview as his arm was admittedly out of shape due to the unorthodox circumstances brought on by the pandemic.
Brach says he is someone who benefits from putting stress on his arm as it helps strengthen it as the season goes along. He also said this is the best his arm has felt in years and expects to be back around his normal velocity of 94-95 mph, which he was unable to reach a season ago.
The veteran right-hander has been throwing to new Mets catcher James McCann this offseason, who he has built chemistry with over the past few years. And given their vast experience together, Brach’s familiarity with McCann could contribute to a bounce back 2021 campaign.
