Matthew Boyd's Worst Day Started in His Backyard and Now the Cubs Are Running Out of Arms

The Cubs' pitching staff took another brutal hit Wednesday morning when Matthew Boyd, 35, tore his left meniscus playing with his kids at home. He's heading for surgery with no clear timeline to return, though the team does expect him back sometime this season. For a first-place team already dealing with injuries to Justin Steele and Cade Horton, this one stings.

"He woke up this morning a healthy player," manager Craig Counsell said, describing the moment Boyd went down. "Kind of an innocent, going down to the ground and getting back up." But that simple movement ended up being anything but innocent for Boyd's knee and the Cubs' rotation.

Another Starter Down, Another Problem to Solve

Boyd made 31 starts last year and was even ready to pitch in the World Baseball Classic during spring training. This season, he's 2-1 with a 6.00 ERA through five games. Now he's heading to the 15-day injured list for the second time in 2026, and Counsell made it clear this won't be a quick fix.

"It'll be more than the minimum," Counsell said about Boyd's recovery time. The manager promised more specifics after surgery, but the Cubs are now looking at life without one of their better arms for a stretch they can't yet define.

The Depth Question Gets Real Fast

The Cubs thought they'd addressed their pitching depth in the offseason. They traded for righty Edward Cabrera and re-signed lefty Shota Imanaga to shore things up. None of that matters right now. With Steele (elbow) expected back later this summer and Horton (elbow) out until next year, the rotation is getting thinner by the day.

Counsell stopped short of naming righty Javier Assad as Boyd's replacement, which tells you the Cubs are running low on healthy options. The team has some loose plans for Friday's start against Texas, but the real story here is simple: they're going to have to win without one of their best pitchers for who knows how long.

The good news? Their offense ranks third in the league at 5.4 runs per game. They just won seven straight. But in baseball, you can't pitch with your bats. The Cubs need to figure this out fast.

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