Boyd ready to return from IL Thursday after shrugging off ailments

NEW YORK -- Look for Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd to be back in the rotation this week.

After a rehab start for High-A South Bend in which he threw four scoreless innings on Saturday, Boyd had a bullpen session at Citi Field and threw 30 pitches without any problems. Weather permitting, he hopes to pitch in a big league game on Thursday against the Mets.

Boyd has been on the injured list since May 6 after sustaining a left meniscus injury while hanging out with his kids. He underwent surgery on the knee a day later, and has missed more than six weeks.

Boyd previously made two rehab starts for Triple-A Iowa. During his second rehab start on June 6, shoulder soreness cropped up. Boyd believes he ended the soreness by fixing his mechanics.

“The bullpen session went great. I feel great, all things considered,” Boyd said. “We addressed the soreness, which wasn’t normal. It prompted some deeper digging.

“We have an amazing pitching department. We found some things I’ve been doing differently [on the mound]. My arm was flipping a little early during my delivery compared to points last year. Without getting into the details, we made a little mechanical adjustment. It’s the reason everything cleared up fast. I’m grateful for that.”

The Cubs are hoping that Boyd can go back to the player that led the pitching staff in bWAR (2.6) in 2025. That year, he won 14 games with a 3.21 ERA and earned his first All-Star selection. Before his knee injury, Boyd dealt with a left biceps strain for three weeks in April.

“We have to get Matt out there consistently,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “He has had a number of ailments, but we have to get him out there regularly on a schedule. That’s what we haven’t been able to do. Until we get two or three times through with him, then we’ll get back into the routine of the season with him.”