Long Islanders Steven Matz and Greg Weissert contributing to Red Sox

As the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry takes center stage at the Stadium this weekend, Boston’s bullpen has a distinct Long Island feel.

Lefthander Steven Matz, a 34-year-old Stony Brook native, is a new member of the Red Sox after being traded by the Cardinals ahead of last month’s deadline. A career starter who spent his first six seasons with the Mets, Matz has transitioned to a relief role — at least for now.

Bay Shore’s Greg Weissert, a 30-year-old righthander and former Yankee, is enjoying a career season for the Red Sox. He was part of the trade package that brought Alex Verdugo to the Yankees in December 2023.

Matz and Weissert contributed to Boston’s 6-3 win over the Yankees on Thursday night. Weissert earned the win after pitching 1 1/3 scoreless innings, entering in the sixth and allowing  one hit. Matz relieved Weissert and allowed no runs and a hit in two-thirds of an inning for his ninth hold of the season.

Matz and Weissert did not have any relationship before the former joined the Red Sox.

“We were kind of talking, Long Island is starting to get on the map a little bit as far as baseball,” Matz told Newsday before Friday night’s game. “We got Ben Brown over there on the Cubs, Greg, myself, [Marcus] Stroman, a bunch of guys in the league from Long Island. So it’s cool.”

Said Weissert: “We joke about it all the time, but I don't know how many Long Islanders are even in the big leagues right now. Probably a handful, right? But to be on the same team, it’s cool and he's awesome. He's been awesome.”

The Mets selected Matz, a former Ward Melville star, in the second round of the 2009 MLB Draft. He made his debut on June 28, 2015, and posted a 3.68 ERA in three postseason starts as the Mets reached the 2015 World Series.

The Blue Jays traded for Matz in January 2021, and he played with fellow Ward Melville alum Anthony Kay with Toronto. Matz signed a four-year, $44 million contract with the Cardinals in November 2021, and his time in St. Louis was filled with ups and downs. He had stints on the injured list in each of his first three seasons with the Cardinals, missing four months with a lower back strain in 2024.

Matz has remained healthy this season and is 5-2 with a 3.13 ERA, 53 strikeouts and 11 walks in 63 1/3 innings in 40 games (two starts with St. Louis in April). Matz has a 4.3% walk rate, which ranks in the 97th percentile in MLB, according to Baseball Savant.

How has the transition to the bullpen been?

“It's been good,” Matz said. “I feel like this year I really embraced it more. Just trying to get outs when I can. I made a couple starts this year. I’ve pitched  long, I’ve pitched short. So I’ve done a bunch of different things this year. And ultimately I feel like with kind of where I'm at in my career, I feel like I’m comfortable doing that.”

Matz reached 10 years of service time in June, a milestone achievement for any major-leaguer. Fewer than 10% of players in MLB history have achieved the 10-year feat.

“It was really cool,” he said. “That's always kind of an earmark for everybody that you know you want to get to 10 years. My mother-in-law kind of reminded me. When I first started dating my wife, she was like, ‘How long do you want to play?’ ‘I want to make 10 years in the major leagues.’

“It was just a good reminder of like, ‘Hey, that's kind of a goal we had.’ So it's a good reflection point.”

Weissert, who went back and forth between the Bronx and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2022 and 2023, is 5-4 with a 3.00 ERA, 40 strikeouts and 17 walks in 54 innings (58 games) this season. He has three saves.

Weissert has the unique viewpoint of being on both sides of the historic rivalry.

“Being from New York, the rivalry was always crazy,” he said. “I think it’s a little less now than back in the day, but it's still really cool to be able to be on both sides and play in both environments for both teams.”

Both players were expecting family at the Stadium during the series.

“It doesn't get old,” Matz said. “There's just a different buzz in New York.”

Notes & quotes: Yankees outfielder Austin Slater (left hamstring strain) has started baseball activities. Manager Aaron Boone said Slater is “starting to turn the corner” but has no timeline on when or if he will start a rehab assignment . . .  Righthander Jonathan Loaisiga will be examined by Dr. Keith Meister on Tuesday. He has been on the injured list since Aug. 3 with right mid-back tightness and recently experienced soreness in his elbow/triceps area.

By Ben Dickson

benjamin.dickson@newsday.com@bendickson__

Ben Dickson is Newsday Sports' general assignment reporter. He joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.