CHICAGO – Cubs manager Craig Counsell did not name his next starting pitcher in the immediate wake of Wednesday’s 4-3 win over the Brewers in Game 3 of the National League Division Series. Counsell explained that there were still conversations to be had behind the scenes before making the plans public.
Inside the Cubs’ clubhouse, veteran Matthew Boyd was at his locker, willingly holding court on the eve of another must-win game at Wrigley Field. Boyd said he was ready for a shot at redemption in Game 4 of the NLDS on Thursday night with the Cubs down, 2-1, in the best-of-five series.
And on Thursday morning, the Cubs officially announced that Boyd would indeed start Game 4 with his team’s season on the line.
“I know what I’m going to do when the ball is in my hand,” Boyd said on Wednesday night. “And when that time comes tomorrow, I’ll be ready. I know what I’m going to do. I’m going to go compete and leave it all out there on the field.
“It takes all of us to go where we want to go. I’ll do my role. When that time comes, I’ll be ready to do exactly what I know I can do.”
Given that Boyd will be on a standard schedule (four days’ rest), he is better positioned to start in Game 4 than he was when he was given the nod in the NLDS opener on Saturday.
“I think at the start of the series, it was going to be Matthew Boyd Game 1 and Game 4,” Counsell said a few hours before the start of Game 4. “He had a rough start [in] Game 1, but we need him tonight.
“Matthew is a good Major League pitcher. He’s just a good Major League pitcher. He was an All-Star this year. He had a very good season, been our most consistent starter from start to finish. That’s all part of the makeup. He’s just a good pitcher.”
Boyd was Chicago’s Game 1 starter in the NL Wild Card Series against the Padres on Sept. 30 and pitched well, holding San Diego to one run over 4 1/3 innings en route to a 3-1 win. After that series went the full three games, Boyd was willing to go on three days’ rest for the Cubs, who are missing rookie sensation Cade Horton (right rib fracture).
In Game 1 at Milwaukee, Boyd stepped into an intimidating environment and was not sharp, allowing three straight doubles in the first inning. Things spiraled quickly – compounded by a rare fielding error by Nico Hoerner – and Boyd was out of the game after 30 pitches, eight batters and six runs (two earned) charged to his line.
“After he had that Game 1 outing,” said Jameson Taillon, the Cubs’ Game 3 starter, “I was thinking to myself, ‘If we could find a way to get him the ball again …’ He’s too smart. He’s too disciplined and motivated and sharp to not find a way to have success and go out there and have a big game.”
How soon was Boyd thinking about wanting to face Milwaukee again?
“About five minutes after you come out of that outing,” Boyd said. “You take what you can do better, and then you go out and prepare for the next one.”
The 34-year-old Boyd was a first-time All-Star this year in his 11th Major League season, following a comeback from Tommy John surgery a year ago. His 14 wins were a career high, while his starts (31) and innings (179 2/3) represented his largest workload since 2019. He spun a 3.21 ERA overall, including a 2.20 ERA in his first 20 starts this season.
At Wrigley Field, Boyd went 12-1 with a 2.51 ERA in 15 outings this year for the North Siders.
“His body of work speaks for itself and the season that he’s had,” Hoerner said. “But also just the person he is. It’s so easy to believe in him. He’s just so thorough and he’s kind of created this confidence and energy about him that I just really love seeing.
“It’s taken a lot of work to get to this point, but because of that, I think he has true belief not only in himself to dominate when it’s smooth, but also to handle adversity and bounce back. We have all the confidence in the world in him.”
Boyd is confident he can handle the task ahead. The lefty also believes the Cubs have shown throughout this season that they have the ingredients to keep pushing for a comeback in the series.
“We’ve got our own identity. We’ve got our own heartbeat,” Boyd said. “We fight. We fight to the end. We’re resilient. It showed [in Game 3]. It showed throughout the season.”
