Steven Matz: Sell High Candidate
By Bill Pivetz
Jun 28, 2015; New York City, NY, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher
Steven Matz(32) making his MLB debut pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the first inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports
Another day, another top prospect dominating. This time, it was the New York Mets and their newest call up Steven Matz. Both on the mound and at the plate, Matz did it all. However, this might be the best it gets. So, if you were one of the fantasy owners that picked him up, you may look to trade him before it is too late.
Matz had the debut of a lifetime on Sunday. He pitched 7.2 innings, allowing two runs on five hits and three walks while striking out six. If that wasn’t enough, he went 3-for-3 at the plate and drove in four runs, a feat no other pitcher has ever done in his MLB debut in the last 100 years. Sadly, fantasy owners do not get credit for his at bats.
Unfortunately for Mets fans and fantasy owners, because of the Mets’ six-man rotation, we won’t see Matz on the mound again until next Sunday on the road against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
There will be no topping his debut. Which means, if you own him, you want to sell him. Rookie pitchers usually don’t hold the same value at the end of the season as they did when they made their debut. After one or two starts, opposing teams start to pick up on the pitcher’s tendencies.
Another reason to sell him now is because of the Mets’ rotation. As mentioned earlier, there are currently six starting pitchers on the roster. Matt Harvey, Noah Syndergaard, Dillon Gee, Jon Niese, Bartolo Colon and Matz. While Colon and Niese have struggled in recent outings, they have a better track record to get back to their usual selves.
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There have also been talks of Syndergaard going to the bullpen or back to the minors, but nothing concrete. The Mets could limit Matz’s innings, send him to the bullpen or even back down to the minors. The point is, there are a lot of uncertainties surrounding Matz in 2015.
Granted, if you own him in a dynasty league, there’s nothing to worry about.
If you can sell Matz for a top-30 outfielder or a more consistent starting pitcher, do not hesitate to trade him. Another option is to take advantage of the Mets fan in your league. Use his fandom against him. That may be considered evil, but you need to do everything you can to make it to the playoffs.
Matz has been picked up in 35.6 percent of ESPN.com leagues over the last seven days. If you stole Matz from an owner who really wants him, exploit that for everything he is worth. Steven Matz’s value will not be higher than it is today.