Insiders Slam Former Guardians Pitcher With Rough Take

This former Cleveland Guardians pitcher has received a pretty tough take from MLB insiders.

Oct 17, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians pitcher Matthew Boyd (16) throws during the first inning against the New York Yankees in game 3 of the American League Championship Series at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images | David Dermer-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Guardians entered the offseason knowing they desperately needed starting pitching, so their decision to let Matthew Boyd walk without much of an effort to retain him was interesting.

That being said, you could completely understand the Guardians balking at the contract the Chicago Cubs gave Boyd, as the Cubs provided the left-hander with a two-year, $29 million deal.

That is a whole lot of average annual money for a guy who made eight starts last season.

Apparently, MLB insiders agree, as they named Boyd one of the worst signings of the offseason in a poll conducted by The Athletic.

Boyd received six votes, which was tied for fourth with newly-minted Toronto Blue Jays hurler Max Scherzer. The difference is that Scherzer only signed for one year.

Cleveland signed Boyd last June, hoping that the 34-year-old would provide its ailing starting rotation with a lift. And that he did, going 2-2 with a 2.72 ERA while allowing 32 hits and registering 46 strikeouts over 39.2 innings of work.

Still, that was a very small sample size, and Boyd's career numbers paint a much different picture.

The Oregon State product broke into the big leagues with the Blue Jays in 2015 but was traded to the Detroit Tigers in a deal that sent David Price back to Toronto midway through that season.

Boyd went on to reside with the Tigers through 2021 before signing with the San Francisco Giants in 2022. However, the lefty didn't pitch a single game with the Giants prior to being dealt to the Seattle Mariners at the trade deadline that season.

He then signed back with Detroit that ensuing winter.

Boyd owns a lifetime 4.85 ERA and 1.313 WHIP, which are certainly reasons for concern for the Cubs. But it certainly didn't stop them from paying him.

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