Cubs Hidden Ace: Possible Gem Discovered in Starting Rotation
The Chicago Cubs open the domestic season with a four-game set at the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Their 26-man roster looks to be finalized, and their starting rotation can be dangerous. Shota Imanaga and Justin Steele will be the aces of the staff while Jameson Taillon can put together some good starts behind them. Ben Brown is battling for the fifth starter spot with Colin Rea.
Chicago’s No. 4 starter is someone who can prove to be a hidden gem.
Matthew Boyd signed a two-year deal with the Cubs this offseason after a strong showing in 2024. He signed the deal with the intention of sliding into the starting rotation immediately.
That is exactly what Boyd will do. He will open the season pitching game four of the season, which will come against the Diamondbacks.
The left-handed pitcher has already showcased how good he can be when he took the mound for an exhibition game in Japan. He came out of the bullpen, but he threw four shutout innings while striking out six batters.
“He’s pretty nasty. I think if he’s healthy, he’s an X factor for us this year,” Taillon said about Boyd, per Jordan Bastian of MLB.com.
In spring training this season, Boyd has not been as good, though. He has an ERA over 6.00 in 13.2 innings pitched. He has also allowed 16 hits, walked six batters and struck out just 12.
In his most recent spring start, the 34-year-old went 5.2 innings, allowed six hits, three runs and struck out three batters. He did allow two solo home runs, but overall it was a pretty good showing for his last start of the spring.
The former sixth-round pick made only eight starts last year, but his numbers were fantastic. He had a 2.72 ERA through 39.2 innings pitched for the Cleveland Guardians. Additionally, Boyd struck out 46, walked 13 batters and opponents hit just .213 of him.
The playoffs were no different for the lefty. He had an ERA under 1.00 in three starts for Cleveland while allowing just seven hits in 11.2 innings pitched.
All of this seems great, but there is one issue with Boyd’s game.
That issue is injuries. Since the start of 2020, Boyd has not started more than 15 games in a single season. He has already received Tommy John surgery once, so the elbow problems are there. Still, when he is healthy, the Oregon State product is a very good pitcher.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell recognized that there are some concerns with his inability to play a full season.
“Matt has to answer durability questions — there’s no question about it. But yeah, the Matt Boyd that we pitched [in Japan] is the same guy that faced us in Cleveland. That’s the same pitcher that pitched in the playoffs for the Guardians last year,” Counsell said, per Bastian.
The skipper knows how good Boyd can be when he is healthy, but that health is the main question mark.
If he remains healthy, and he can make his scheduled starts routinely, Chicago could have a diamond in the rough at the back end of their rotation.
