In 'masterful' outing, Matthew Boyd tosses 8 shutout innings in Cubs' 5-2 win over Yankees

Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune on Jul 12, 2025

Published in Baseball

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

NEW YORK — Matthew Boyd had already been viewing the upcoming four-day All-Star break as a prolonged stretch to rest his body and gear up for the final 2 1/2 months in the regular season.

When the 34-year-old lefty learned last Sunday he had made his first All-Star team, Boyd still opted to keep the big picture in mind with his workload and the Chicago Cubs well-positioned to make the postseason. Given those factors, Boyd will not be available to pitch in the All-Star Game on Tuesday in Atlanta.

He was replaced on the National League’s active roster by Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski, who is receiving the honor just five starts into his big-league career.

“There’s only so many natural breaks you have in the season, so there’s a chance to kind of give you a breather,” Boyd said Saturday. “It was just kind of built in that way. I hope there’s another chance to pitch in the All-Star Game. But the goal this year is to be fresh through all the way to October and something that we’ve got to keep in mind as we go forward.”

Boyd will still travel to Atlanta and enjoy the All-Star festivities with his family.

He enters the break coming off his best outing as a Cub. Boyd’s performance Saturday at Yankee Stadium again showed why he’s one of the best starters in the league this year. He tossed eight shutout innings — the longest start by a Cub this season — in a 5-2 victory while striking out six and not walking a batter. The Yankees tallied just four hits off Boyd, two of which were doubles by Aaron Judge.

Manager Craig Counsell deemed it a “masterful” performance by Boyd. But despite Boyd’s efficiency, needing only 85 pitches to get through eight innings, Counsell wasn’t tempted to send him back out for the ninth. Counsell instead turned to right-hander Brad Keller, but he couldn’t get through the inning cleanly. Keller retired the first Yankees batter then allowed an automatic double to Cody Bellinger, a two-run home run to Judge — making him the fastest to 350 home runs in MLB history — and hit Giancarlo Stanton before getting pulled.

Daniel Palencia earned the save by retiring the next two hitters to set up the Cubs (56-39) to go for a series win Sunday with Shota Imanaga on the mound.

If Boyd had hoped for a shot at the complete game shutout, the veteran was diplomatic when asked about not getting that chance, saying he always plans to keep going until Counsell tells him he’s done for the day.

“It’s his job to think of the big picture, think about everything we just talked about,” Boyd said. “And I trust him with that. He’s been there more than I have, and he understands what it takes. So, go until he tells you to stop. I always want to be out there as long as I can, but a lot of trust in him.”

Boyd’s 2.34 ERA is the third-lowest among NL pitchers and seventh in MLB. Only 14 pitchers have thrown more innings than Boyd, who at 111 2/3 innings is already at his most since 2019 with Detroit.

The Cubs did enough early versus Yankees lefty Max Fried to allow Boyd to aggressively attack the strike zone. Nico Hoerner got the start in the leadoff spot, where he will hit going forward against left-handed starters, Counsell said before the game. Kyle Tucker’s ground out scored Hoerner, who tripled to begin the game, for an early Cubs lead in the first.

The Cubs tacked on three more runs in the third on Carson Kelly’s RBI single, a Dansby Swanson run-scoring fielder’s choice and Ian Happ, batting seventh Saturday, coming through with an RBI single. Fried exited after the third inning due to a blister on his left index finger.

Boyd earned his 10th win of the season, the first time in his 11-year big-league career he reached double-digit victories.

“It’s an honor, it’s a product of being on this ball club, being a part of a good ball club, and I’m really, really thankful for that,” Boyd said. “Those wins are a collective thing. It’s because the guys in this room are playing really good baseball, so it’s fun to be a part of that.”

____