Cubs Starter Remains Hopeful for Potential of Pitching Staff This Season

The Chicago Cubs pitching staff has been a concerning topic lately, but one of their starting pitchers holds onto hope.

Mar 16, 2025; Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan; Chicago Cubs pitcher Matthew Boyd (16) throws a pitch against the Yomiuri Giants during the ninth inning at Tokyo Dome. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The Chicago Cubs had a bit of a rough go against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Their most recent matchup on Sunday came with an unfortunate 10-6 loss, leaving them with a 2-4 record after a disastrous bullpen collapse.

Making his first start with the Cubs on Sunday was 34-year-old southpaw Matthew Boyd.

Despite the team coming away with a loss, Boyd made quite the debut on the mound with five scoreless innings where he gave up just four hits and struck out five. He did his part to secure Chicago their first series win of the year, the pitching performance as a whole wasn't enough to take home the victory.

With uncertainty regarding the Cubs' pitching staff floating around, concerns have been raised for the team. But Boyd still has confidence in what this unit can provide.

"We've got a great group of guys down there," he stated, per Jordan Bastian of MLB.com. "We have so much talent. There's a lot of experience. There's not one ounce of worry when it comes to those guys. All in all, we've got a great pitching staff. We know what we can do."

Adding Boyd was considered to be a bit of a gamble considering his exhaustive history with injuries, one of which resulted in the dreaded Tommy John elbow surgery during the 2023 campaign. However, if he can hold up for the entirety of the season and perform the way he did during his first outing of the year, then he is likely to be a great asset for this team.

Hearing him express confidence in his team's ability, and particularity for the pitching staff, is also reassuring.

If the bullpen can recover and bounce back from this rough start, Chicago should be in good hands overall when it comes to their pitching staff.

With starters like Boyd, Shota Imanaga, Jameson Taillon and Justin Steele, there is enough star power in the rotation to succeed, but it will take all hands on deck for the rest of the arms if they're going to make the playoffs.

The Cubs will hopefully get some reprieve on Monday night where they are scheduled to go up against the Athletics to start their three-game series.