The New York Yankees’ Tyler Matzek era was short and not so sweet. New York promoted the former Atlanta Braves postseason hero to the bullpen at the end of April with the hope that he could recapture his pre-Tommy John surgery form from 2021. However, after just seven appearances, the Yankees opted to designate Matzek for assignment late last week.

Now the lefty reliever has cleared waivers and decided to become a free agent instead of accepting the Yankees’ outright assignment to the minors, per MLB’s Bryan Hoch on X.

Matzek was at his best in 2020 and 2021 when he reinvented himself as a relief pitcher and dominated for the Braves. Matzek was a big part of Atlanta’s postseason run in 2021, coming up big for the team out of the bullpen in the Division Series and the World Series in which he allowed just one run in 5.1 innings pitched.

LHP Tyler Matzek rejected an assignment to the Yankees’ farm system

May 4, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher Tyler Matzek (68) delivers a pitch during the fifth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium.
Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
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In his brief stint with the Yankees, Matzek produced a 4.26 ERA and a bloated 2.526 WHIP, allowing three runs on 11 hits in just 6.1 innings. Injuries have decimated New York’s pitching staff this season. And while it’s primarily the starters who’ve suffered significant ailments, the bullpen has struggled a bit as well.

While the Yankees brought in Matzek to give the bullpen a boost, it clearly didn’t work out the way Aaron Boone and company envisioned. However, the Yankees did get an important reliever back from injury as Jonathan Loaisiga rejoined the team after a lengthy IL stint.

Loaisiga hadn’t pitched in over a year while he recovered from elbow surgery. But he’s been effective in, albeit, a small sample size this season. The veteran righty has made two appearances for the Yankees since returning to the team, allowing one hit and one walk with two strikeouts over two shutout innings so far.

Since Matzek rejected New York’s minor-league assignment and opted to become a free agent, he can sign with any team. He could also rejoin the Yankees on a new minor-league deal if he fails to draw interest from other clubs in need of bullpen help.