Boyd thankful for chance with Cubs following return from Tommy John surgery

CHICAGO (AP) — Matthew Boyd is thankful for his new opportunity with the Chicago Cubs. He is hoping to help the team reach the playoffs as a key addition to its starting rotation.

The fact that his late grandpa John Boyd was a big fan? That makes this signing all the more sweet for him.

“My grandfather grew up in downtown Chicago and was a diehard Cubs fan,” Boyd said Monday. “I think he was more excited about the Cubs’ scores than my own performance some of the times. It would be like, ‘Hey, the Cubs lost today, but you did pitch well.’”

The day the Cubs won the World Series in 2016 “was one of the happiest days of his life,” Boyd continued, “so I know he’s smiling somewhere.”

Boyd finalized a $29 million, two-year contract last weekend after making a successful return from Tommy John surgery.

The left-hander signed with the Cleveland Guardians in June and made his season debut against the Cubs on Aug. 13, when he pitched 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball.

Boyd went 2-2 with a 2.72 ERA in eight starts with Cleveland. He also made three postseason starts for the AL Central champions, allowing one run while striking out 14 in 11 2/3 innings. The Seattle-area product joins a rotation that includes Justin Steele, Shota Imanaga and Jameson Taillon.

“I think Matthew’s in a good place kind of post some injuries where we feel like this could be a really good season for him or a couple seasons for him,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said at the winter meetings. “Then like I said, it’s just a place where you can’t get caught without depth, quality. You have to have it, and we thought that was a good place to go.”

Boyd, who turns 34 in February, is looking to help the Cubs reach the playoffs for the first time since 2020. Chicago has finished second in the NL Central with an 83-79 record in each of the past two years.

Boyd sees postseason potential in a solid rotation and a lineup led by Ian Happ, Cody Bellinger, Seiya Suzuki, Dansby Swanson and Pete Crow-Armstrong, one of the team’s top prospects.

“I think a year of growth from some of the young players,” Boyd said. “Seeing what they did down the stretch last year was really, really exciting. The lineup is strong. … The weapons that are there, the speed that’s in the offense, the ability to hit for power and whatnot — there’s a lot of tools in the lineup.”

Boyd gets a $5 million signing bonus and salaries of $7.5 million next year and $14.5 million in 2026. The deal includes a $15 million mutual option with a $2 million buyout. He can earn $500,000 annually in performance bonuses for innings: $100,000 each for 80, 90, 100, 110, and 120. He also gets a hotel suite on road trips.

The Cubs also announced Counsell’s coaching staff for next season on Monday, including several newcomers: first base coach Jose Javier, third base coach Quentin Berry, assistant pitching coach Casey Jacobson and staff assistant A.J. Lewis.

Mark Strittmatter moves to bullpen coach after spending last season as major league field coordinator. The Cubs also appointed Kevin Poppe head strength and conditioning coach and Mark Weisman assistant strength and conditioning coach.

The other nine coaches on Counsell’s staff are returning from last season, including pitching coach Tommy Hottovy and hitting coach Dustin Kelly.

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