Could Steven Matz join the other side of the Subway Series by season's open?
With Luis Severino undergoing Tommy John surgery and James Paxton slated to miss the beginning of the season, the New York Yankees are exploring options to fill out their starting rotation. The Bronx Bombers have contacted the New York Mets regarding the availability of Matz, according to Mike Puma and Ken Davidoff of the New York Post.
However, there is skepticism a deal could be hatched between the crosstown rivals. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman publicly expressed his desire to rely on the team's depth and fill the rotation holes with internal candidates.
In addition, the Mets would reportedly seek major-league hitters in return as opposed to prospects, which could further complicate a potential trade.
After a busy offseason during which the Mets added Rick Porcello and Michael Wacha, the 28-year-old Matz seems to have become the odd man out in the rotation. The left-hander posted a 4.21 ERA and 4.60 FIP over 160 1/3 innings while making 30 starts and two additional appearances out of the bullpen last year.
In his audition for a spot in the rotation so far this spring, Matz has worked three innings, striking out two of the 11 batters he's faced while allowing one run on two hits.
Historically, the Mets and Yankees have not made many trades. Since 2005, the rivals have made two swaps: the Yankees' purchase of Gonzalez Germen in 2014, and the Mets' acquisition of L.J. Mazzilli for Kendall Coleman in 2018. None of those three players made appearances at the major-league level for their new clubs following those deals.
