Steven Matz Returns to Form in Blue Jays Loss

Steven Matz lasted just five innings, but struck out nine Phillies and allowed no runs in Toronto's 5-1 loss

Mary Holt-USA TODAY Sports

Steven Matz nodded and wiped his brow while J.T. Realmuto stared out toward the mound.

Realmuto, owner of a .411 OBP, fouled off the first pitch and swung over the second. With men on first and second in the fifth inning, Matz hesitated before lunging towards home plate and releasing his 107th pitch of the ballgame. Realmuto was late on the high 95 mph fastball and the Blue Jays pitcher twitched in celebration as he jolted off the mound.

The Dunedin crowd stood and applauded the lefty as he trotted to the Toronto dugout. Though Matz pitched only five innings, he fired more pitches than any Blue Jay pitcher since 2019, held the Phillies scoreless, and regained his early-season form. The Blue Jays continue to get expectation-defying pitching performances, but Toronto's bullpen blew their first game since April 8 in a 5-1 Philadelphia victory.

“I think from last start to this start I’m in a spot where I want to be as far as all my stuff and my pitches,” Matz said. “I’m feeling pretty good about that.”

In five April starts Matz posted a 4.0 ERA, striking out 27 and allowing opponents to reach base just 29 percent of the time. In his first two starts of May, the former New York Met's ERA rose to 7.2 and opposing hitters hit .349 against him.

On Friday night Matz kept Phillies batters guessing, striking out nine in total and getting three different hitters to stare at strike three in the fourth inning alone. We saw April Matz once again.

“He kept his composure,” Manager Charlie Montoyo said. “He got in trouble but he kept his composure and didn’t lose it.”

Matz got ahead of Philly catcher Andrew Knapp in the third inning with a fouled-off sinker before turning to his hook. He missed low with the curveball but went right back to it, painting the corner of the zone and forcing Knapp to look skyward as he walked back towards the dugout.

Matz was tacked with a no decision as Toronto's bullpen suffered their first blown save in over a month. Tim Mayza allowed a bases-clearing double in the seventh that pulled the Phillies up 4-1, and Jeremy Beasley allowed a fifth run appearing for his first time as a Jay.

The Blue Jays got their only run of the night on a Vlad Guerrero Jr. opposite field home run in the fifth, but couldn't string enough base runners together. The Jays got two runners on in the eighth and ninth, but came away scoreless both times. Of Toronto's ten 100+ MPH exit velocities Friday night, only three fell for hits.

Up Next:

RHP Aaron Nola vs. (likely) LHP Anthony Kay

The Blue Jays starter is not yet confirmed, but Anthony Kay is the likely starter for Saturday night’s matchup. Aaron Nola has a 3.59 ERA and 53 strikeouts to begin 2021, but he lasted only four innings in his last start, giving up five runs to the Atlanta Braves.