Spring training looks much different this year for left-hander Matt Boyd, who made his Cactus League debut with the Cubs on Monday.
“This time last year, I was getting ready for the Little League season and doing my rehab at home,” Boyd said. “I’m grateful to be here right now, working in games and through situations—excited to have a healthy year ahead of me.”
Coming off his first season post-Tommy John surgery, Boyd pitched two scoreless innings against the Padres, allowing two hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
“I wouldn’t have wished the last few years on anybody,” he admitted, reflecting on his injury struggles. “But those challenges were a blessing, too. I get to put on this Cubs uniform, with all its history. I get to play at Wrigley Field, and that’s something I don’t take lightly. I’m super thankful and excited for the opportunity.
“And we have an incredible clubhouse, with amazing talent and people. There’s a lot to be grateful for. It’s an exciting blank canvas ahead of us—it’ll be what we make of it, not what anyone else says.”
Boyd signed a two-year, $29 million deal with the Cubs this offseason and is expected to be a key part of the rotation. However, given his injury history, the team plans to monitor his workload.
“I don’t want to get too sensitive about it,” manager Craig Counsell said. “We want him to pitch, and one of the reasons we were interested in him is we believed he was set up for a great full season. But we’ve just got to watch those cues.”
Boyd worked with catcher Miguel Amaya on Monday, having discussions between innings and even mid-at-bat about sequencing through PitchCom.
Boyd praised the 25-year-old Amaya as “wise beyond his years” and appreciated his feedback. “My slider was flatter than I wanted, and he told me, ‘Great location. Shape was a little different.’”
Smiling as he described the exchange, Boyd noted how refreshing it felt to be back in a normal spring training routine.
“A year ago, I wasn’t on a team, I didn’t have a chance at a big league job,” he said. “But I found gratitude in being home, as weird as that sounds. I got to coach my kids—a lot of guys don’t get that opportunity during the season.
“Hopefully, I won’t have that opportunity for another six-plus years.”
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