In November 2021, the St. Louis Cardinals bolstered their pitching rotation by signing left-handed pitcher Steven Matz to a four-year, $44 million contract. The agreement included a $2 million signing bonus and annual salaries escalating from $8 million in 2022 to $12 million in 2025. Additionally, Matz could earn up to $1 million annually in performance bonuses based on innings pitched.
Matz, who previously played for the New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays, joined the Cardinals after a career-best season with Toronto, where he achieved a 14-7 record and a 3.82 ERA over 29 starts.
His addition was aimed at enhancing the Cardinals’ rotation with a reliable left-handed option.
As of November 2024, Matz is in the final year of his contract with the Cardinals, earning a base salary of $12 million.
His performance over the contract period has been closely monitored, with evaluations considering his contributions to the team’s pitching depth and overall success.
