Resurgent pitcher Matthew Boyd is ‘excellent again' in Chicago Cubs' 5-2 win over Cleveland Guardians

Chicago Tribune

3 days ago

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Matthew Boyd knew he wasn't done when he first injured his arm in 2021.
'I knew my best was still ahead of me,' Boyd said. 'It was like, OK, this is what I'm going to do when the ball is in my hand. Unfortunately there was quite some time before I was healthy.'
After four injury-riddled seasons, Boyd is finally back to himself and arguably pitching better than he ever has. He allowed two earned runs in seven innings Tuesday night at Wrigley Field in a 5-2 win against his former team, the Cleveland Guardians.
Boyd first dealt with a left forearm injury in 2021 and 2022 before eventually needing Tommy John surgery on his elbow in 2023. It was the Guardians who gave him a shot at a return last year. He joined them midway through the season and made eight starts down the stretch plus three in the postseason.
'You don't know if there was going to be an opportunity,' Boyd said. 'It became clear that it was supposed to be in Cleveland. And then that time came and I'm just grateful for (Guardians manager Stephen Vogt) and that staff for believing in me.'
How a Ken Griffey Jr. giveaway mitt turned Chicago Cubs' Matthew Boyd into a left-hander — literallyIn December, the 34-year-old signed with the Cubs on a two-year, $29 million free-agent contract.
During a first half of the season in which the Cubs were without starters Justin Steele and Javier Assad, plus Shota Imanaga for close to two months, the addition of Boyd has proved pivotal toward keeping the rotation strong. Boyd has allowed two earned runs or fewer in 13 of his 17 starts this season.
The Cubs were hopeful about the addition in December, but there were questions about durability due to his injury history.
'We were very optimistic based on a very small sample, which is hard,' Cubs President Jed Hoyer said. 'He pitched really well, obviously pitched in the playoffs. We saw him firsthand. You never know exactly. He was a little bit of an unusual background, and so he's certainly exceeded expectations for us.'
Photos: Chicago Cubs beat Cleveland Guardians at Wrigley FieldBoyd is now 8-3 on the season with a 2.65 ERA after Tuesday's win. He's just shy of 100 innings pitched (98⅔) and has 87 strikeouts and a 1.08 WHIP.
Asked if his performance could be good enough to earn his first All-Star Game appearance, Boyd said it would be 'quite an honor.'
He allowed just five hits Tuesday while striking out five and walking one.
'It was excellent again, it was efficient and it's just more of what we've seen from Matt really the whole season,' manager Craig Counsell said.
The Cubs took an early lead, scoring three runs in the second after four consecutive hits. First baseman Michael Busch drove in a run with a single and catcher Carson Kelly knocked in two more with a double. Kelly advanced to third on the play thanks to a throwing error.
Then things got weird.
The Cubs made all three outs on the basepaths. Kelly was tagged out at home trying to score on a ball that got past catcher Bo Naylor. Then Nico Hoerner and Matt Shaw each drew a walk — and each was picked off first base by Cleveland righty Gavin Williams.
'We had a rough inning on the bases,' Counsell said. 'It was a rough inning.'
Counsell noted that the pitch Naylor couldn't handle behind the plate barely grazed his glove, which allowed it to bounce hard off the brick backstop and right back to Naylor. Kelly was out by a mile.
As for the back-to-back pickoffs, they were simply good moves.
'We were aware Williams has a really good move, but he made a great move,' Counsell said.
Designated hitter Seiya Suzuki hit his team-leading 23rd home run leading off the sixth. The Cubs added an insurance run in the eighth on a sacrifice fly by Kelly, his third RBI of the night.
Asked through an interpreter what has allowed his power surge, Suzuki said it starts with focusing on getting a good swing off.
'That's my first priority,' he said. 'If I'm being honest, I'm not satisfied because there are times I am hitting home runs but there's times I'm not. Being more consistent for the second half, that's one of my goals.'
Relievers Brad Keller and Daniel Palencia shut things down in the eighth and ninth, with Palencia earning his ninth save with a 1-2-3 inning.