WASHINGTON – When Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd jogged to the mound within the eighth inning, it was the primary time he’d carried out so in a begin since 2021.
It represented a brand new accomplishment in an already spectacular season after coming back from 2023 Tommy John surgical procedure in August of final 12 months.
Because the Cubs offense – which was averaging extra runs per recreation than another crew within the majors and has made comeback rallies a specialty – fell silent, Boyd’s effort was wasted in a 2-0 loss Wednesday to the Nationals.
“I’m grateful to the Cubs for giving me this chance right here,” Boyd mentioned. “And we’ve acquired an superior ballclub. So it’s actually enjoyable to be part of this membership, enjoyable to be a part of what we’re doing as a crew this 12 months, and simply have a number of gratitude in that sense.”
On Wednesday, Boyd held the Nationals to 2 runs and 4 hits in 7 ⅓ innings. However even that line rating didn’t do his outing justice.
He retired the primary 16 batters he confronted, good for 5 good innings, plus an additional strikeout.
Boyd didn’t permit a baserunner till the sixth, when he walked Niasim Nuñez with one out. However earlier than the following at-bat ended, Boyd made a deft pick-off transfer to first as Nuñez took off, and first baseman Michael Busch fired to second to catch Nuñez stealing.
The Nationals’ first hit got here shortly after, as Robert Hassell III acquired a maintain of a slider. However with two outs, he didn’t current a lot of a risk at first base. Boyd induced CJ Abrams to floor out to second to get out of the inning.
Lastly, on Boyd’s first pitch of the seventh inning, Amed Rosario ended the scoreless tie.
Boyd situated that first-pitch fastball properly off the plate, a spot that nearly by no means leads to a house run. And but, Rosario despatched it the opposite method, into the Nationals’ bullpen.
At 1.49 ft from the middle of the plate, in response to Statcast, it was the third-furthest outdoors pitch a right-handed batter has hit for a homer for the reason that starting of pitch monitoring (2008).
Boyd gave up one other run the following inning, on a double from Nuñez, after which handed over the ball.
“You’re seeing a reasonably good model of him, and I feel he’s going to get higher,” catcher Carson Kelly mentioned after the sport. “It simply looks as if he digests each begin, good or unhealthy, and finds a optimistic and continues to work by way of it every week.”
It’s been principally good. Together with his begin Wednesday, Boyd has posted a 3.01 ERA, the most effective mark amongst lively Cubs beginning pitchers.
Boyd has been as regular because the crew may have hoped once they signed him to a two-year deal value $29 million assured this offseason – earlier than he’d had a full season again from surgical procedure.
They’d seen sufficient between the final couple months of his 2024 season and playoff appearances with the Guardians to count on him to proceed on a promising trajectory.
Some questions remained concerning the type of workload he’d be capable to deal with, however that hasn’t been a problem.
On most nights, with the type of offense the Cubs have produced this season, Boyd’s efficiency Wednesday would have been greater than sufficient to assert victory.
As a substitute, the Cubs had been shut out for simply the third time this season.
Left-hander Mackenzie Gore held up the Nationals’ facet of the pitchers’ duel. And after permitting three straight singles to start the sport, he didn’t give up one other hit.
