Triple-A Worcester placed Mata on its 7-day injured list Wednesday with right shoulder inflammation, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.
Mata picked up the injury in his most recent start versus Rochester on Tuesday, when he labored through 2.1 innings while giving up six runs (four earned) on six hits and three walks while striking out five. Though the injury doesn't sound too significant, it's another setback on the medical front for Mata nonetheless after he previously missed all of the 2021 campaign and the first two months of the 2022 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. Mata has struggled to a 5.61 ERA, 2.10 WHIP and 26:27 K:BB in 25.2 innings through his seven starts with Worcester this season.
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Red Sox's Bryan Mata: Sent to Triple-A
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Mata was optioned to Triple-A Worcester on Sunday, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.
Manager Alex Cora said in February that Mata could make his MLB debut this season, though it's still not a surprise the right-hander won't be on the Opening Day roster. The 23-year-old finished the 2022 campaign with Worcester after he was promoted in August, and he could see the majors before too long if he can replicate the 3.47 ERA he posted at Triple-A last season.
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Red Sox's Bryan Mata: Could make big-league debut
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Boston manager Alex Cora speculated that Mata could make his major-league debut in 2023, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports. "The ability is there," Cora said. "At one point, (Mata) is gonna be part of this and he's gonna help us to win a few games."
The 23-year-old Mata was a highly regarded prospect at the lower levels of the minors before the pandemic and Tommy John elbow surgery curtailed his development. He returned to pitching in June of 2022 and was at Triple-A Worcester to finish the season. The right-hander dominated at Double-A Portland (1.85 ERA in 48.2 innings) before a five-start stint with the WooSox (3.47 ERA, 30 strikeouts, 23.1 innings). Mata, who consistently hit 100 MPH last season, will come out of the bullpen in Friday's exhibition against Northeastern University. He projects as a starter or reliver. Either way, Mata needs to hone his command; he posted a career 4.3 BB/9 throughout the minors and 5.8 in 2022.
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Red Sox's Bryan Mata: Heading to Triple-A
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Mata was promoted to Triple-A Worcester on Sunday, Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican reports.
Mata missed the 2021 season due to Tommy John surgery and spent the start of this year continuing to recover. However, he performed well after being activated at Double-A Portland, posting a 1.85 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in 48.2 innings over 10 appearances (nine starts). He's expected to make his first start at Worcester sometime this week.
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Red Sox's Bryan Mata: Activated at Double-A
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Mata (elbow) was activated from Triple-A Worcester's 7-day injured list June 28 and assigned to Double-A Portland, with whom he's covered 7.1 innings while allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits and two walks while striking out eight across two appearances since being reinstated.
Even though he was optioned to Worcester coming out of spring training, Mata has yet to debut for Boston's top affiliate while working his way back from the Tommy John surgery he underwent last April. After making four rehab appearances between Single-A Salem and High-A Greenville, Mata looks like he'll settle in Portland's rotation for the time being. He covered four innings in his most recent outing for the Double-A club and looks to be fully stretched out at this point.
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Red Sox's Bryan Mata: Shifting rehab to High-A
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Mata (elbow) is scheduled to make the second start of his rehab assignment at High-A Greenville this week, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.
After reaching the finish line in his recovery from April 2021 Tommy John surgery, Mata was cleared to begin a rehab assignment with Single-A Salem on Saturday. He looked sharp during his two-inning start for Salem, allowing no hits and one unearned run while striking out two. According to Speier, Mata's fastball topped out at around 99 miles per hour in the start, so the 23-year-old has seemingly regained his pre-surgery velocity. He'll likely get stretched out over a few more starts at lower-level affiliates before slotting into the Triple-A Worcester rotation.
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Red Sox's Bryan Mata: Begins rehab assignment
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Mata (elbow) began a rehab assignment at Single-A Salem on Saturday, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.
Mata was pitching in extended spring training last month, but he returned to minor-league game action Saturday and allowed an unearned run on no hits and two walks while striking out two in two innings. He generated 10 swings and misses during the outing and is expected to continue his rehab assignment at High-A Greenville this week.
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Red Sox's Bryan Mata: Pitching in extended spring
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Mata (elbow) threw two innings in an extended spring training game Thursday, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.
Mata is still working his way back from Tommy John surgery, a procedure he underwent in April of last year. He still has steps to take before completing his recovery, but his performance Thursday was an encouraging one, as he struck out five batters in two hitless innings and touched 100 mph with his fastball.
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Red Sox's Bryan Mata: Optioned to Triple-A
Rotowire
Mata (elbow) was optioned to Triple-A Worcester on Wednesday, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports.
Mata underwent Tommy John surgery last April and sat out the 2021 campaign, and he still has a bit to go in his recovery. The 22-year-old could return to game action sometime over the summer if there's no issues with his rehab program.
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Red Sox's Bryan Mata: Sidelined after Tommy John surgery
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The Red Sox announced that Mata (elbow) underwent Tommy John surgery in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Bill Koch of The Providence Journal reports.
Mata opted for the procedure after he was shut down during spring training when he was diagnosed with a slight tear of the UCL in his right elbow. The 21-year-old is expected to require a 12-to-16-month recovery from the surgery, meaning he'll likely be sidelined until the summer of 2022. Mata had been regarded as one of the Red Sox's top pitching prospects heading into the season.
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Red Sox's Bryan Mata: Starts throwing again
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Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Sunday that Mata (triceps) was cleared to begin a throwing program late in spring training, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.
Mata ended up missing most of camp after being diagnosed with a slight UCL tear in his right elbow. Fortunately, he was able to treat the injury through rest and rehab rather than surgical means, so Mata will now turn his focus to advancing through his throwing progression ahead of the minor-league season. He may not be fully cleared by the time Triple-A Worcester begins its season in May, but Mata shouldn't be in store for a lengthy stint on the injured list if he's able to steer clear of any setbacks in the coming weeks.
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Red Sox's Bryan Mata: Diagnosed with slight UCL tear
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Mata has been diagnosed with a slight tear of the UCL in his throwing arm, Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican reports.
Mata's injury will sideline him for some amount of time, but the Red Sox are going to try and repair the tear through treatment and are not planning to send him for surgery as of now.
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Red Sox's Bryan Mata: MRI on tap
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Mata (triceps) will undergo an MRI on Thursday, Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican reports.
Mata was scratched from relief work Wednesday due to right triceps soreness, and he'll undergo further testing to determine the extent of the injury. The right-hander isn't expected to make the team's Opening Day roster, but he could make his major-league debut at some point this season if he's fully healthy.
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Red Sox's Bryan Mata: Dealing with triceps soreness
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Mata was scratched from relief work Wednesday due to right triceps soreness, Bill Koch of The Providence Journal reports.
Mata was not likely to make the big-league club out of camp, but he could make his MLB debut this year if he's healthy this summer. It's unclear when he will be healthy enough to resume throwing.
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Red Sox's Bryan Mata: Shielded from Rule 5 draft
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Mata's contract was purchased by the Red Sox on Friday.
One of Boston's top pitching prospects, Mata spent the summer at the alternate site, although he missed a couple weeks with a hamstring injury. He won't turn 22 until May but already has 11 starts at Double-A under his belt, so he could open the year at Triple-A. Mata has the potential to develop into a mid-rotation starter if he can throw enough strikes.
Mata (hamstring) has completed a pair of bullpen sessions over the past week and is expected to pitch in a simulated game at the Red Sox's alternate training site before the 2020 season ends, Bill Koch of The Providence Journal reports.
Mata has been shut down since late August after developing a left hamstring cramp during a simulated game, but the injury doesn't look like it will keep him sidelined as the offseason nears. One of the organization's top pitching prospects, the 21-year-old Mata posted a 5.03 ERA and 1.47 WHIP to go with 59 strikeouts over 53.2 innings at Double-A Portland. Mata could probably use some further refinement in the minors, but he should be a candidate to enter Boston's rotation at some point in 2021.
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Red Sox's Bryan Mata: Suffers injury at alternate site
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Mata suffered an apparent left hamstring injury Sunday while pitching in a simulated game at the Red Sox's alternate training site in Pawtucket, Bill Koch of The Providence Journal reports.
The 21-year-old isn't a likely candidate to make his big-league debut in 2020, but he's been making regular simulated-game appearances in Pawtucket as the Red Sox look to keep his development on track. He'll presumably be sent in for more tests as the Red Sox determine the extent of his injury, but Mata looks like he could be at risk of being shut down for the rest of the summer.
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Red Sox's Bryan Mata: Added to pool
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Mata joined the Red Sox's player pool Tuesday, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.
Mata will give Boston extra pitching depth this season, though he's unlikely to play a major role. The 21-year-old is yet to reach Triple-A and struggled to a 5.03 ERA in 11 starts for Double-A Portland last season, though that figure came with a strong 3.27 xFIP, as his 25.2 percent strikeout rate and 52.1 percent groundball rate offset a poor 10.3 percent walk rate.
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Red Sox's Bryan Mata: Adds fourth pitch
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Mata added a cutter to his repertoire in 2019, Ian Cundall of SoxProspects.com reports.
Mata had a couple of promising developments in 2019: adding a fourth pitch and cleaning up his mechanics. The delivery still has a lot of effort and may be something that limits his ability to command consistently. The cutter, which some call a slider, gives him a pitch with which to get left-handed hitters out. He had a rocky introduction to Double-A ball last season, but that could be attributed to going beyond previous career highs in innings pitched. His future as a starter depends on his ability to improve command. Mata will likely start at Double-A Portland with a shot to reach Triple-A Pawtucket in 2020.
