Matz does it again: Rays 5, Yankees 3
Apr 10, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Steven Matz throws a pitch during the first inning against New York Yankees at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Pablo Robles-Imagn Images | Pablo Robles-Imagn Images Through his first three starts of the season, Steven Matz is making the 2- year, $15M deal he signed with the Rays this offseason look like quite the steal.
The 34-year-old southpaw took the mound for the third time this season and left with this third win. This time, Matz held the dangerous Yankees lineup to just two runs over five innings. He allowed only two hits, struck out seven, and walked two.
Across 16 innings pitched this year, he has struck out 17, allowed just 10 hits, and walked five. He has pitched to a sub 4. 00 ERA and sub 1.
00 WHIP. Tonight, he kept the Yankees lineup off balance throwing as many changeups as he did fastballs. Matz worked around a sloppy first inning in which two runs crossed the plate and gave the Yankees an early 2-0 lead.
Early on it appeared we were in for more of the same bad baseball we saw in the final two games of the previous series. Judge stole second and advanced to third on a rare error by Walls on the throw down to second. Later in the inning Chandler Simpson misplayed a line drive to left and turned a single into an RBI triple.