CHICAGO – The contrast between Matthew Boyd on the mound and behind the scenes is striking. When the veteran lefty is on the field, there is an intensity and intentionality to the way he works and attacks hitters. Around the clubhouse, Boyd is quick to offer a smile and always open for conversation.
That aspect of Boyd’s personality is also intentional.
“He’s just excited at every opportunity he gets in life, really,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “That’s just how he runs his day. He’s a very grateful person. But, he’s also competitive, and that’s been fun to see.”
On Saturday afternoon, the White Sox saw that part of Boyd’s persona during a 7-3 win for the Cubs that sealed a series win in the Wrigley Field portion of this Crosstown Classic. The lefty pounded the strike zone, avoiding any walks for a third consecutive outing and racking up eight strikeouts in another steady performance.
With Justin Steele and Shota Imanaga -- the top two arms in the Cubs’ rotation -- sidelined with injuries, the 34-year-old Boyd has been a stabilizing force for the group. That has been true both on the field, where he has spun a 2.98 ERA through nine turns, and also on the days between his starts.
“He values being a great teammate really highly,” Cubs pitching coach Tommy Hottovy said. “And to him, it's not just being a good guy. It's going out of his way to help other people get better. When it's his game day, he's an ultra-competitor out there. And his work day is amazing.
“But he always stays around and watches other guys' bullpens, provides feedback, encouragement, all those things.”
Hottovy noted that Boyd has recently spent time sitting next to 25-year-old starter Ben Brown in the dugout to chart pitches during games. It is an active way to talk through game planning, strategy and adjustments with Brown, who is navigating his second season in the Major Leagues.
“It’s a nice little challenge,” Brown said after his outing against the Marlins on Tuesday. “I really enjoyed it.”
In the win over the White Sox, Brown and rookie Cade Horton -- recently promoted from Triple-A Iowa to help fill in for Imanaga -- were able to watch Boyd expertly practice what the Cubs’ pitching group preaches.
One of the priorities for this Cubs staff is to attack the zone, limiting walks in the process and also showing trust in the defense. Boyd ended his six-inning effort with no free passes issued, extending a walk-free streak to 70 consecutive batters, dating back to his April 30 start against the Pirates.
“He throws every pitch with a lot of intention,” Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner said. “He’s just a great teammate, too. He’s a starting pitcher that you kind of feel his energy every day around the field, which isn’t always true for guys that play once every five days. It’s just cool how quickly he’s become a big part of this group.”
Boyd’s run of 18 1/3 innings over four-plus starts is the longest stretch without a walk for a Cubs starter since Imanaga also went 18 1/3 innings between July 21-Aug. 6 last season. The next-longest streak of that kind is a 25-inning stretch by former Cubs righty Kyle Hendricks between July 4-25, 2023.
“You want to put pressure on the hitters,” said Boyd, who has 23 strikeouts in his past three starts. “And you always want to try to counter what they’re going to bring to the table. Strike one is always important. If you can get strike one and be in charge, be in command of the at-bats, it’s … always a good spot to be.”
Boyd allowed two homers in his third consecutive quality start, marking his 19th straight start with no more than three earned runs allowed, dating back to 2023.
Even with that success, Boyd felt he was battling his command. He said the shapes of his pitches were off but credited catcher Miguel Amaya for getting creative with his pitch calling. Boyd also raved about the running catch that center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong made at the wall to rob Joshua Palacios of an extra-base hit in the third.
“I’m a product of the people around me,” Boyd said.
That type of response was fitting for Boyd, but he balances that sense of gratitude with a competitive fire.
“I don’t know what tomorrow holds, right?” Boyd said. “I just know what I can do when the ball’s in my hand.”
Senior Reporter Jordan Bastian covers the Cubs for MLB.com. He previously covered Cleveland from 2011-18 and Toronto from 2005-10. Subscribe to his Cubs Beat newsletter.