Cubs' Matthew Boyd Gets Candid About The Harsh Reality of Playoff Baseball

While those who don't follow the Chicago Cubs closely might not have heard about starting pitcher Matthew Boyd before the 2025 postseason, Cubs fans know how crucial Boyd has been to this team making it to this point in the 2025 postseason.

Boyd went 14-8 with a 3.21 ERA in 31 starts (179.2 innings pitched) during the 2025 regular season, thus marking the best ERA he has produced in an MLB season in which he threw more than 40 innings.

Because starting pitcher sensation Cade Horton suffered a fractured rib and hasn't been able to compete in the postseason to this point, Boyd got the ball for Game 1 of the Cubs' NL Wild Card series against the San Diego Padres. And he rewarded Craig Counsell's confidence in him, giving up just one earned run in 4.1 innings thrown to help lead Chicago to a 3-1 win.

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Matthew Boyd (16) delivers during an April 16, 2025 game — Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

Boyd also got the ball against the Milwaukee Brewers for Game 1 of Chicago's NLDS series but struggled, conceding six runs (only two of which were earned) in just .2 innings pitched in what ended up being a 9-3 rout.

But that didn't keep Counsell from turning to Boyd once more on Game 4 at home on October 9, despite him only having three days of rest in between starts. And the 34-year-old veteran made the most of this rebound opportunity, throwing 4.2 scoreless frames that included just two hits, three walks, and six strikeouts that gave the Cubs enough of a cushion to secure a 6-0 win, thus forcing a winner-take-all Game 5 on October 11.

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Matthew Boyd's "Emotional Rollercoaster" Comment Speaks Volumes

Patrick Mooney of The Athletic included a telling quote from Boyd in an October 10 article, which he also used in an X post.

“The playoffs are an emotional rollercoaster. Sometimes, you get punched in the face first," Boyd said.

“Sometimes, you get punched in the face first.” Matthew Boyd set aside his personal disappointment from Game 1 to console Daniel Palencia after Game 2. And the Cubs showed how they are a connected team in pushing this NLDS back to Milwaukee for Round 5. https://t.co/E9hvcn4X20
— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) October 10, 2025

It's often said that pitchers (and all baseball players, for that matter) need to have a short memory, given how quickly they need to move forward in case another opportunity comes around. And given the heightened stakes of the postseason, where guys' careers can be made or broken, it's refreshing to hear Boyd being so candid about the sort of emotions this can create.

Cubs fans are just glad that Boyd and his teammates have punched back against the Brewers in their two most recent NLDS games. But all that matters now is who will land the final blow during Game 5 on Saturday.

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