Red Sox' Bryan Mata makes first rehab start Monday
Mata was assigned to the FCL Red Sox Monday and made his first appearance of 2024
Red Sox pitcher Bryan Mata made his first rehab start on Monday afternoon for the FCL Red Sox.
The right-hander has been on the injured list with a hamstring injury he sustained in spring training. Mata threw his first live batting practice last week and was assigned to the FCL on Monday.
Mata pitched two innings, giving up three hits, one earned run, and striking out two batters. His first strikeout came in the first inning, when he struck out Erik Lara on three pitches up in the zone. He struck out Enzo Paulino on three pitches in the second inning.
Mata is out of minor league options, so he will need to have earned a 26-man roster spot by the end of his 30-day rehab assignment. If not, the Red Sox will have to remove him from the 40-man roster, exposing him to waivers or a potential trade.
With the lack of roster flexibility, it’s make-or-break for Mata. Back in January, Red Sox director of player development Brian Abraham joined the To the Show We Go podcast after the Winter Weekend in January, and he talked about what Mata needs to do through the organization’s eyes at this point in his career.
“I think it’s just at a point where he needs to perform,” said Abraham. “You know he can only prepare and be prepared to perform so much, and then you actually have to do it on the mound. So that is the point where he’s at in his career, where we’re going to have to see some success during spring training.”
If Mata can stay healthy, he offers the Red Sox another power arm for their bullpen. The 25-year-old’s fastball sits between 95 and 97 mph and has topped out at 99 mph. His velocity pops, but Mata struggles with command and control when on the mound. In addition to his four-seamer, he offers an 87-90 mph slider, a 78-81 curveball, and an 88-92 mph changeup.
“He’s going to have to stay healthy,” said Abraham. “He’s going to have to be able to repeat his deliveries. He’s going to have to be able to throw strikes and do all those things so he can be a reliable arm in the bullpen.
“I don’t think we are built to have a roster of someone who’s not going to be able to be utilized to their maximum capacity on a daily basis. I don’t think any organization or Major League roster, as you know, there’s 26 men on the roster, and they all need to be utilized,” added Abraham.
Mata, who was once considered a top pitching prospect in the system, is now essentially batting for a roster spot.
“He’s had ups and downs. He’s had progress, and he’s had regression in terms of the physical side. But I think we’re finally at a point where hopefully the stuff that he has, he has electric stuff when healthy, when he’s on. We’re hopefully in shorter stints where he can recover; it’ll allow him to have success on our Major League roster,” said Abraham.
