Matthew Boyd's Biceps Injury Leaves Cubs Rotation in Trouble

The Chicago Cubs' pitching depth just took another hit. Left-hander Matthew Boyd landed on the 15-day injured list Monday because of a left biceps strain, marking the second straight day the team lost a starter to injury. This is not what you want to see a week into the season when you're trying to build momentum.

The Rotation Takes Another Blow

Boyd's move to the IL, retroactive to April 3, comes just one day after the Cubs placed right-hander Cade Horton on the injured list with a strained forearm. Horton felt discomfort while throwing during his Friday start against the Cleveland Guardians and had to be sent back to Chicago for more testing. Two starting pitchers down in consecutive days is exactly the kind of injury luck that can derail a season fast.

The Cubs wasted no time filling the gap. They recalled right-hander Javier Assad from Triple-A Iowa on Monday, and he'll take the ball Tuesday night against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Boyd Was Just Getting Started

This is particularly frustrating timing because Boyd was beginning to show flashes of what made him an All-Star last season. After a rough Opening Day outing against the Washington Nationals, he came back strong in his second start last Wednesday against the Los Angeles Angels, striking out 10 batters. His season stats sit at 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA through two games, but that strikeout performance showed the stuff is still there.

Last season, Boyd put together a solid year with a 14-8 record and a 3.21 ERA across 179⅔ innings, his highest workload since 2019 when he threw 185⅓ innings for the Detroit Tigers. Now the Cubs have to hope he gets healthy quickly and that Assad can hold down the fort while the rotation figures itself out.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.