Matthew Boyd is Cubs’ surprise rotation anchor

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Matthew Boyd is Cubs’ surprise rotation anchor: ‘It’s cool how quickly he’s become a big part of this group’

The offseason free-agent signing has a sub-3.00 ERA and a streak of 19 straight outings allowing three or fewer earned runs.

By Vinnie Duber Updated May 19, 2025, 12:05am GMT+1

Matthew Boyd (left) and Miguel Amaya celebrate ending the second inning Saturday against the White Sox.

Matthew Boyd (left) and Miguel Amaya celebrate ending the second inning Saturday against the White Sox.Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images

 

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The Cubs haven’t been able to lean on Justin Steele, and Shota Imanaga is on the injured list.

 

Yet this is a first-place team.

 

As manager Craig Counsell has said, great seasons need surprises. Count left-hander Matthew Boyd as the surprise arm to lead the Cubs’ rotation through what has been a great start on the North Side.

 

 

Boyd, 34, signed a free-agent deal with the Cubs in the winter after pitching in only eight big-league games last season. He was the biggest addition to the starting staff, while some fans clamored for a splashier, higher-priced signing.

 

Those eight games in 2024, coming with the Guardians after his recovery from Tommy John surgery, went really well. Now he’s doing similarly excellent work with the Cubs.

 

Boyd has a 2.98 ERA in nine starts and hasn’t allowed more than three earned runs in any of them. He has gone three starts without walking a batter, including the six innings he threw in the Cubs’ 7-3 victory Saturday over the White Sox.

 

Boyd hasn’t allowed more than three earned runs in a start since June 15, 2023, a streak of 19 consecutive outings.