#3: Phil Maton gets moved
Phil Maton likely began the season in the doghouse after punching his way out of the playoffs last season. With Houston bringing back a dominant bullpen and more young arms waiting in the wings, I thought Maton could get moved near the deadline.
Not so fast…
Across seven appearances, Phil has thrown 8.1 innings and struck out 10. His 0.36 WHIP isn’t sustainable, but he’s cut down on walks and is in the 100th percentile of hard hit rate. Guys just can’t square Maton up right now.
In 2021, Maton was a lights out reliever for Houston in the postseason. He looks to have found his form again in 2023.