Matt Boyd to start Opening Day

[Bertz]

Presumably Shota will go in the opening series as well, as the Nats were horrendous against LHP last year and did nothing this winter to make you think they've meaningfully improved

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

People will make a big deal of this, but yeah, we're playing the Nats. Who cares.

Happy for Matt.

[Bertz]

 

 

[Rcal10]

1 hour ago, Bertz said:

 

 

Probably because of how bad the Nats were against left handed pitching, is why Shota is going 3rd. 

[Stratos]

3 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

Probably because of how bad the Nats were against left handed pitching, is why Shota is going 3rd. 

Maybe they also want to break up the velo RHP and finesse guys.

[Banks-Williams]

Mathew Boyd certainly deserves the opening day game.  His pitching in 2025 was exceptionally good to say the least.

Although he did get battered in game one of the NLDS, that wasn’t his doing. Counsell made the decision to pitch him on only 3 days rest even though he had a fully rested Asad ready to go.

A fully-rested Boyd did a vintage performance in the Series on game 4, sending the series to game 5.

[Bull]

2 hours ago, Banks-Williams said:

Mathew Boyd certainly deserves the opening day game.  His pitching in 2025 was exceptionally good to say the least.

Although he did get battered in game one of the NLDS, that wasn’t his doing. Counsell made the decision to pitch him on only 3 days rest even though he had a fully rested Asad ready to go.

A fully-rested Boyd did a vintage performance in the Series on game 4, sending the series to game 5.

He also faded significantly down the stretch. I do hope that was a function of workload and that we see the great Boyd from early last year early this year.

[Geographyhater8888]

On 3/15/2026 at 2:59 PM, Rcal10 said:

Probably because of how bad the Nats were against left handed pitching, is why Shota is going 3rd. 

Also, Wrigley Field in march often times is a hitters nightmare. Any hard hit fly balls he’s prone to giving up will likely die at the warning track. 

Edited March 23 by Geographyhater8888