Veteran Pitcher Finding Groove Aiding Cubs Rightful Surge up Rankings

A Chicago Cubs veteran starting pitcher has been excellent to start the season, helping them surge up the power rankings.

Mar 30, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Matthew Boyd (16) on the mound in the second inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. | Allan Henry-Imagn Images

There were ride ranging opinions on the Chicago Cubs and how they handled their offseason heading into the campaign.

Their acquisition of star right fielder Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros was an excellent move. A supremely talented player, he is good enough to anchor and lineup and has produced to this point just as the team had hoped.

Beyond him, there were serious questions about the strategy that was deployed, which looked to have a focus on mostly cutting back salary. Inexplicably, the Cubs slashed their payroll from 2024 despite making a move for Tucker, who is set to be a free agent after the year.

One of the moves that were scrutinized by some was the signing of starting pitcher Matthew Boyd.

With the funds available to go close to the top of the market, Chicago opted to shop in the lower tiers of free agency right from the start. They agreed to a two-year, $29 million deal with the veteran lefty.

It was a contract that involves some risk given the injury history that he has.

Boyd made only eight starts with the Cleveland Guardians last year. The last time he made more than 15 appearances, let alone starts, in a single season was in 2019 with the Detroit Tigers.

Despite not being able to stay on the mound consistently, he has found success when toeing the rubber in recent years. Outside an ugly 15 start stretch in a second stint with the Tigers in 2023, when he had a 5.45 ERA, he has had an ERA of 3.89, 1.35 and 2.72 in 2021, 2022 and 2024.

There was some upside in signing him and through his first two starts of the 2025 campaign, the move has looked like a great one for the Cubs.

Boyd has fired 11 shutout innings, allowing only nine hits and four walks to go along with 10 strikeouts. He has already compiled a 0.8 WAR. He has done an excellent job of limiting hard contact as his entire arsenal is clicking on all cylinders.

His performance has helped Chicago rebound since their 0-2 start in the Tokyo Series against the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Cubs are 7-3 since that point and rightfully surging up the power rankings over at MLB.com as a result.

They have gone from No. 13 all the way up to No. 6, looking to cement their status as one of the best teams not only in the National League, but baseball as a whole.

One of those NL teams ahead of them, the San Diego Padres, the Cubs were able to defeat in a three-game series over the weekend.

Boyd’s dominance was on full display in the second game of that series, throwing six shutout innings against a very talented Padres lineup.