Matthew Boyd's return comes at a perfect time for Cubs' bullpen depleted by injuries

One of the primary reasons why the Chicago Cubs likely weren't aggressive in their pursuit of Lucas Giolito is that Matthew Boyd was making his return to the starting rotation. On the same day that Giolito signed with the San Diego Padres, the Cubs activated Boyd off the IL, and he will make the start against the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday night.

Skeptics of how the Cubs have constructed their starting rotation have been waiting to point to regression coming for Boyd. The 2025 All-Star was excellent through the first three innings of his Opening Day start against the Washington Nationals, but things fell off the rails during the fourth inning. The result was a six-run outing in his first appearance of the 2026 season.

Boyd immediately silenced the doubters in his follow-up start, striking out 10 against the Los Angeles Angels on April 1. It was the version of Boyd the Cubs had for most of the 2025 season, and in the aftermath of Cade Horton's injury, it is the version the Cubs will need this season.

After his start against the Angels, Boyd reported some discomfort during his work in between starts. An MRI confirmed that Boyd suffered a bicep strain, but the expectation was that the time missed would be minimal. It's the rare case of the Cubs being optimistic about an injury and it actually holding up through the player's recovery.

Boyd made a minor-league start with the Iowa Cubs last week, striking out 6 of the 16 hitters he faced. He was tagged for three runs on four hits, but the biggest takeaway was that he reported no discomfort after his outing.

The Cubs' bullpen needed Matthew Boyd's return to the rotation

For a Cubs' bullpen that is currently without Daniel Palencia, Hunter Harvey, and Phil Maton, stability was needed. Roles were being stretched thin, and with Boyd back in the rotation, it allows for an extra bulk guy to be used in the bullpen along with Ben Brown.

Colin Rea and Javier Assad were the ones whom the Cubs turned to fill the void in the rotation left by the injuries to Boyd and Horton. With Boyd back in the rotation, Assad is likely the one to move to the bullpen. Rea had success as a starting pitcher last season for the Cubs, and with Assad, the team still needs to be wary of his underlying metrics. That's easier to do in the bullpen.

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