It's Not Ideal, But Matthew Boyd Is Cubs' De Facto Ace

[RavenCub30]

Image courtesy of Matt Marton-Imagn Images

There's nothing funny about injuries at any level of sport. In baseball, we tend to avoid speaking of it, as though it's an unwritten rule of the game, much like keeping tight-lipped while some of the games' more impressive feats play out. Well, it would seem that strategy is ill-conceived in 2025 for the Chicago Cubs. With ace hurler Shota Imanaga going on the 15-day IL nearly a week ago with a left hamstring strain, the North Siders are down yet another game-changing pitcher. Already missing Justin Steele (for the season), and Imanaga out for at least his next couple starts, it appears the Cubbies must now look to more unlikely sources to maintain their grip on the Nl Central. We could ask for an act of God, though knowing that the new pope is (reportedly) a White Sox fan diminishes those odds. No, Craig Counsell's squad, as it often does to great effect, must work with what they've got. Though you may not like it, Matthew Boyd is the perfect individual to hold down the fort while his fellow starters recuperate. 

We have spoken, albeit briefly, about the veteran presence of any given starting pitcher, whether or not, in fact, they can be classified as such. Folks like Paul Skenes of the Pirates, and to a lesser extent Jackson Jobe of the Tigers, prove that starting pitcher is a young man's position. With any luck, Cade Horton will quickly ascend to those heights as well. There is, however, something to be said for additional years of service, and having the even-keeled demeanor of someone who has "been there" before. Matthew Boyd fits that mold.

Owner of a 3-2 record and a 0.9 WAR in 2025, there is nothing too remarkable about Matthew Boyd as a starting pitcher in the majors. Might I propose that's exactly what makes him the perfect individual for this moment? He's been with more clubs than Tiger Woods. One would surmise that his time with the Guardians in 2024 , including an impressive postseason run to the ALCS when Boyd allowed just one run in 11 2/3 innings, is what caught the attention of the Cubs' brass. Through battling through adversity, he's learned what it takes to survive, or in other words, he's proof that the term "battle tested" holds clout.

He hasn't changed much since that run with the Guardians, beyond the fact he uses his curve more than his sinker now. It's actually a pretty interesting movement profile, where his fastball, sinker and changeup all have roughly the same amount of arm-side run, with their velocities and vertical break being the primary differentiators. As for his glove-side moving pitches, the slider barely breaks vertically at all, while his curve exists more in the "slurve" model than on a 12-6 plane.

Boyd gets by on the concept of "swing decisions", i.e., he tunnels his pitches well and forces hitters to guess at what offering they're actually seeing. It might not quite be the profile of a surefire "ace" with overpowering stuff or air-bending breaking balls, but the southpaw can make it all work, especially as long as he continues to dial up his four-seamer to career-high levels.

Some of the teams I grew up loving the most, like the 2006 Detroit Tigers, adopted the mantra: "If it ain't rough, it ain't right." In their case, featuring a breathtaking run to the World Series, it almost worked. They were bested by one of the scrappiest St. Louis Cardinals teams in league history, but they largely got the job done. With contender blood coursing through their veins, perhaps this Chicago Cubs ball club can be seen in a similar light. And maybe Matthew Boyd is the face of it all.

View full article