Matthew Boyd walked off the mound at Dodger Stadium on Friday night, heading straight to catcher Miguel Amaya to give him a celebratory slap on the glove after inducing a flyout from Shohei Ohtani to end the fifth inning. Boyd had been matching zeros with Dodgers right-hander Yohsinobu Yamamoto and had continued his strong start to his first season in the Cubs’ rotation. With uncertainty surrounding Justin Steele’s recovery from an elbow setback, Boyd’s ability to hold the line for the Cubs will be crucial in the coming weeks.
“Justin Steele is one of a kind,” Boyd remarked after the Cubs’ 3-0 loss to the Dodgers. “Regardless of how long he’s out, you can’t replace Justin Steele. He’s unique and incredibly talented. But we have that next-man-up mentality, and we’ve got a really strong rotation.” The Cubs are waiting on a second opinion for Steele, who was placed on the 15-day injured list due to left elbow tendinitis. Without Steele, the Cubs’ rotation will rely on Boyd, Shota Imanaga, Jameson Taillon, and Ben Brown, with Colin Rea providing another option.
Boyd, 34, has spent over a decade in the majors, making a notable comeback after Tommy John surgery last season with Cleveland. His impressive return earned him a two-year, $29 million contract with the Cubs in the offseason, and he has looked the part through his first three starts. Cubs manager Craig Counsell praised Boyd’s effectiveness: “He’s done a great job of keeping hitters off-balance. The differences in velocity with his fastball and off-speed pitches really challenge hitters, and we’ve seen many hitters struggle against him.”
One highlight from Boyd’s performance came in the third inning when he faced Ohtani. After starting him with a 93.9 mph fastball, Boyd followed with two sliders, fooling Ohtani for a strikeout. Boyd extended his scoreless streak to 16 innings, finishing the game with a season-high 16 strikeouts. However, his performance was overshadowed by Yamamoto’s dominance on the mound for the Dodgers. Boyd’s only mistake came in the sixth inning when Teoscar Hernández, Freddie Freeman, and Tommy Edman made him pay for a few bad pitches, with Edman hitting a 1-0 changeup for a home run.
Counsell acknowledged Boyd’s strong outing, saying, “Matt pitched as well tonight as he did in his previous starts. He made one mistake, and they capitalized on it. But his slider, changeup, and fastball were all on point. He’s throwing the ball really well.” Through his first three appearances, Boyd has posted a 1.59 ERA, with 17 strikeouts and just 13 hits allowed in 17 innings. His increased pitch velocity and effective mix of pitches, including fastballs, sliders, changeups, and occasional sinkers and curveballs, have been key to his success.
As the Cubs await Steele’s return, Boyd’s performance will be vital to their rotation. Boyd, with his experience and confidence, believes in the team’s ability to step up: “We have a lot of experience, but also a lot of talented young guys. We’ve got guys who can step up and perform, and that’s what championship teams do. We’ll do just that.”
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