Cubs' Matthew Boyd: Inks $29 million contract with Cubs
Rotowire
The Cubs signed Boyd to a two-year, $29 million contract Monday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
He can earn an additional $1 million in incentives. Boyd didn't sign with the Guardians until June of this past season following rehab from Tommy John surgery but went on to collect a 2.72 ERA and 46:13 K:BB in 39.2 regular-season innings. He then added 12 frames of one-run ball in the postseason. Boyd -- who turns 34 in February -- hasn't made more than 15 regular-season starts since the 2019 campaign.
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Guardians' Matthew Boyd: Taking ball in ALCS Game 3
Rotowire
Boyd will start Thursday in Game 3 of the ALCS against the Yankees, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports.
Boyd will be on regular rest and was the obvious choice for Guardians manager Stephen Vogt in Game 3 after Boyd struck out 10 over 6.2 shutout innings in two ALDS starts versus the Tigers. The left-hander will be opposed by Clarke Schmidt.
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Guardians' Matthew Boyd: Confirmed for ALDS Game 5 start
Rotowire
Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said Friday that Boyd will start Saturday in Game 5 of the ALDS against the Tigers, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports.
Boyd will be on regular rest after holding the Tigers scoreless over 4.2 innings with five strikeouts in Game 2 on Monday. The left-hander will be opposed by Tarik Skubal in the winner-take-all affair.
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Guardians' Matthew Boyd: In line to start Game 2 of ALDS
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Boyd is expected to start for Cleveland in Game 2 of the ALDS versus Detroit, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.
It will be a revenge game for Boyd, who pitched for the Tigers from 2015 to 2021 and again in 2023. The left-hander joined the Guardians for the 2024 campaign and began the season on the IL with an elbow injury before making his Cleveland debut Aug. 13. In the majors, Boyd registered a 2.72 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 46:13 K:BB over 39.2 innings across eight starts. Ben Lively, who made 29 starts for Cleveland during the campaign, was left off the team's ALDS roster.
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Guardians' Matthew Boyd: Logs another short start
Rotowire
Boyd (2-2) took the loss against St. Louis on Saturday, allowing two runs on four hits and three walks while striking out six batters over four innings.
Boyd wasn't tagged for a large amount of runs and yielded a modest four hits, but he issued three free passes and needed 88 pitches to get through four frames. Short starts have been the norm for the southpaw of late -- across his past three outings, he hasn't gone deeper than 4.1 innings despite yielding a tolerable five earned runs over 11 frames during that stretch. Boyd has had his strikeout stuff working, though, as he's posted 20 punchouts across those 11 innings.
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Guardians' Matthew Boyd: Early exit in no-decision
Rotowire
Boyd escaped with a no-decision in Monday's 4-3 win over the Twins, giving up three runs (two earned) on five hits and three walks over 2.2 innings. He struck out five.
The veteran southpaw got the hook after 64 pitches (39 strikes) when four straight batters reached base in the third inning thanks to two walks and two hard-hit singles. Boyd has failed to last five innings in either of his last two outings, but he still has yet to allow more than three earned runs in any of his seven starts since joining the Guardians' rotation, delivering a 2.52 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 40:10 K:BB through 35.2 innings. He'll look to bounce back in his next start, which is scheduled to come on the road this weekend in St. Louis.
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Guardians' Matthew Boyd: Strikes out nine Wednesday
Rotowire
Boyd didn't factor into the decision in Wednesday's 6-4 win over the White Sox, allowing four runs (one earned) on six hits and two walks over 4.1 innings. He struck out nine.
All four runs against Boyd came in the third inning, though three were unearned following an Andres Gimenez throwing error. While 4.1 innings marked the shortest outing for Boyd this year, he was able to record a season-high nine strikeouts. Overall, the left-hander is 2-1 with a 2.18 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 35:7 K:BB across six starts (33 innings) since returning from Tommy John surgery in mid-August. Boyd's currently lined up to face the Twins at home early next week in his next outing.
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Guardians' Matthew Boyd: Sharp in second win
Rotowire
Boyd (2-1) allowed one run on three hits over six innings and struck out six without walking a batter to earn the win Friday over the Dodgers.
Boyd gave up a solo shot to Shohei Ohtani in the sixth inning, but he was able to finish with just the one run allowed. It's the fourth time in five starts Boyd has permitted just one run. He's now at a 2.20 ERA, 0.77 WHIP and 26:5 K:BB over 28.2 innings, and he's arguably been the Guardians' best pitcher since he debuted Aug. 13 after finishing his recovery from Tommy John surgery. Boyd is projected to make his next start on the road versus the White Sox, giving him an excellent chance to continue his success.
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Guardians' Matthew Boyd: Fans eight in tough loss
Rotowire
Boyd (1-1) took the loss Saturday as the Guardians fell 3-0 to the Pirates, allowing one run on four hits over six innings. He struck out eight without walking a batter.
The veteran southpaw put together his best performance in four starts since joining the Cleveland rotation, but the team's offense gave him no support. Boyd fired 59 of 90 pitches for strikes in his second straight quality start, and he'll carry a 2.38 ERA, 0.84 WHIP and 20:5 K:BB through 22.2 innings into his next outing, which is scheduled to come on the road next weekend against the Dodgers.
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Guardians' Matthew Boyd: Earns first win
Rotowire
Boyd (1-0) yielded a run on three hits and a walk over six innings Sunday, striking out four and picking up a win over Texas.
Boyd didn't allow a runner to reach scoring position until the fifth inning, resulting in an RBI double from Jonah Heim. It was Boyd's third MLB appearance since returning from Tommy John surgery, and he earned his first win. He completed six innings for the first time while delivering a quality start. Through three outings, Boyd owns a 2.70 ERA with a 12:5 K:BB. He's currently in line for a home matchup against the Pirates next weekend.
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Guardians' Matthew Boyd: Struggles with command Tuesday
Rotowire
Boyd did not factor into the decision in Tuesday's 9-5 extra-innings win over the Yankees, allowing three runs on four hits and four walks with two strikeouts across 5.1 innings.
Boyd surrendered back-to-back homers to Juan Soto and Aaron Judge in the first inning and was later pulled in the sixth at 85 pitches in his second start of the season. The southpaw generated an impressive 15 whiffs but also threw just 47 strikes and walked four batters. He owns a solid 3.38 ERA and 1.03 WHIP across 10.2 innings and tentatively lines up for a home matchup with the Rangers on Sunday.
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Guardians' Matthew Boyd: Sharp in Cleveland debut
Rotowire
Boyd allowed one run on three hits over 5.1 innings in a no-decision Tuesday against the Cubs. He struck out six.
After missing over a calendar year following Tommy John surgery, Boyd looked solid in his first outing with the Guardians, allowing just a lone run in the second inning while making it through 5.1 frames on just 80 pitches. The 33-year-old Boyd pitched to a 5.45 ERA in 15 starts with the Tigers last season, though he posted a stellar 0.83 ERA across 21.2 innings during his rehab assignment. The left-hander is currently slated to face the Yankees on the road early next week in his second start.
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Guardians' Matthew Boyd: Activated ahead of season debut
Rotowire
The Guardians activated Boyd (elbow) from the 15-day injured list Tuesday.
Boyd is set to make his Guardians and season debut Tuesday against the Cubs after completing the long road back from Tommy John surgery. The left-hander's results during his rehab assignment were excellent, as he put up a 0.83 ERA with 27 punchouts over 21.2 innings. He threw 63 pitches in his final rehab start, so Boyd will probably be capped around 80 pitches Tuesday.
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Guardians' Matthew Boyd: Set for season debut Tuesday
Rotowire
Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said Boyd (elbow) is expected to return from the 15-day injured list to start Tuesday's contest at home versus the Cubs, Nick Camino of 3 News Cleveland reports.
Boyd has missed the entirety of the 2024 campaign while recovering from Tommy John surgery, but he looks set to make his season and Guardians debuts Tuesday. The left-hander has completed five rehab starts with multiple minor-league affiliates, including Triple-A Columbus, producing an impressive 0.83 ERA with 27 punchouts over 21.2 innings. Boyd reached 63 pitches in his most recent start Wednesday with Columbus, so he'll likely still be on some sort of pitch limit against Chicago.
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Guardians' Matthew Boyd: Dazzles in latest rehab start
Rotowire
Boyd (elbow) struck out seven and while giving up one hit and no walks over six scoreless innings in his rehab start Wednesday with Triple-A Columbus.
Boyd was locked in from the first pitch of his fifth rehab start and his second in a row with Columbus. He retired the first 17 hitters he faced and built up to 63 pitches before he exited the contest. The southpaw has looked dominant in all five of his rehab outings across stops with Columbus, Double-A Akron and the rookie-level Arizona Complex League, posting an 0.83 ERA, 0.65 WHIP and 27:2 K:BB in 21.2 innings. The Guardians have yet to announce their immediate plans for Boyd, but he seems likely to be activated from the 15-day injured list and enter the big-league rotation during next week's home series versus the Cubs after Carlos Carrasco (hip) was placed on the 15-day injured list Friday.
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Guardians' Matthew Boyd: Fans five hitters in rehab start
Rotowire
Boyd (elbow) struck out five over 3.2 innings and gave up two runs (one earned) on two hits and no walks in his rehab start Thursday with Triple-A Columbus.
Boyd's innings total represented a step back from his last two rehab outings, when he covered four and five innings over his starts July 21 and 26, respectively, with Double-A Akron. Even so, he pushed up his pitch count to 63 in the fourth start overall of his rehab assignment and featured a fastball that maxed out at 93.5 miles per hour, a couple ticks above his average from the 2023 season. Boyd continues to look good as he works his way back from last June's Tommy John surgery, and he may require just one more rehab start before he becomes an option for the Cleveland rotation. Boyd and Alex Cobb (hip) both seem to be on similar timelines for returning from the injured list, but the Guardians could have room in the rotation for both pitchers if they opt to move the struggling Carlos Carrasco to the bullpen, or perhaps even off the roster.
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Guardians' Matthew Boyd: Rehab moving to Triple-A
Rotowire
Boyd (elbow) is scheduled to make a rehab start Thursday for Triple-A Columbus, Joe Noga of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
After starting his rehab assignment in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League on July 16, Boyd has made his last two starts at Double-A Akron, combining to allow one run with eight strikeouts across nine innings. The left-hander will advance to Triple-A on Thursday and may need only one or two starts with Columbus before being reinstated from the injured list.
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Guardians' Matthew Boyd: Shines in latest rehab start
Rotowire
Boyd (elbow) struck out five over four innings while giving up one earned run on four hits and no walks in his rehab start Sunday with Double-A Akron.
After covering three innings in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League in his first rehab start during the All-Star break, Boyd bypassed a couple of levels to make his second start in the Eastern League. The veteran southpaw once again impressed Sunday, needing 52 pitches (41 strikes) to get through four frames while inducing eight swinging strikes. Boyd will likely need at least two or three more rehab outings to get fully stretched out for starting duty, but he thus far seems to have had a smooth recovery from his June 2023 Tommy John surgery. Once he completes his rehab assignment and gets activated from the 15-day injured list, Boyd could fill the No. 5 spot in the Cleveland rotation, which has been a bit of a revolving door of late.
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Guardians' Matthew Boyd: Ready for rehab assignment
Rotowire
Boyd (elbow) began a rehab assignment Tuesday in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League, covering three innings and striking out seven while allowing an unearned run on three hits and one walk.
Boyd signed a one-year contract with the Guardians last month and was immediately placed on the 15-day injured list as he continues to work his way back from June 2023 Tommy John surgery. The veteran southpaw will probably need most, if not all, of his allotted 30-day rehab window to get stretched back out, putting him on track for activation around mid-August if all goes well.
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Guardians' Matthew Boyd: Placed on IL
Rotowire
The Guardians placed Boyd on the 15-day injured list Saturday with a left elbow injury.
Boyd signed a one-year deal with the Guardians on Thursday. The left-hander continues to progress in his rehab from Tommy John surgery last June, and the Guardians don't expect Boyd to enter the rotation until August, per Tom Withers of the Associated Press. Boyd started in 15 games for the Tigers in 2023, going 5-5 with a 5.45 ERA and 1.32 WHIP over 71 innings.
