Cubs' Matthew Boyd is Doing Way Better That Expected After Surgery

Matthew Boyd could be back throwing on the mound as soon as this weekend, as the Cubs veteran said he's feeling far better than expected following surgery this month.

Apr 22, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Matthew Boyd (16) pitches during the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

The Matthew Boyd news has only gotten better and better for the Chicago Cubs.

After the veteran arm suffered a fluke meniscus injury earlier this month, the organization shared that his return timeline was shorter than expected. The procedure was said to be more of a trimming of the meniscus as opposed to a full repair. With that in mind, Cubs GM Carter Hawkins said that they hoped to get Boyd back on the mound in four to six weeks.

While this timeline should still be the benchmark, Boyd gave fans reason to believe he could be operating on the front end of the estimate. The lefty spoke with reporters on Friday, sharing that he has already been able to throw and is feeling significantly better.

"It feels better every single day ... Luckily, throwing has been normal. Two days after, we were doing normal throws, so that was a blessing," Boyd told Marquee Sports Network. "But it's loading up different squats and going through the agility portions and all those things about loading it and making sure there are no compensations. My knee feels great now. Like, honestly, I'm probably feeling probably stronger than I did before, which is crazy."

That is crazy! Boyd underwent surgery on the morning of May 7. Even if it was a minor procedure, it's pretty stunning to think he was throwing again only two days later. And, hey, that's half the battle! If he's already been throwing for roughly a week, why couldn't he possibly be ahead of schedule?

Apr 27, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Matthew Boyd (16) delivers during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

Craig Counsell all but posed a similar question, sharing with Marquee that Boyd's recovery has definitely been trending in a good direction:

"I think he's doing everything at a little bit more effortless and pain-free than expected ... I think he's going to progress at a very good pace, and so far we've got all good news from him."

Counsell said that Boyd will meet again with a doctor later this week. Tony Andracki also shared that Boyd's plan is to throw off a mound on Saturday before doing a full bullpen at some point during the next week. In other words, a rehab assignment or two sure feels like it could be discussed during the final week of May.

To be sure, Ben Brown has more than held his own over his first two spot starts for Boyd. The 26-year-old has pitched so well that some might even question whether Boyd should take Colin Rea's spot instead. Regardless, the mere fact that we can even begin thinking about his return at this point is an overwhelming positive. Especially for a Cubs team that has been hit with countless pitching injuries and setbacks, this feels like the kind of news they have been waiting for.

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