NEW YORK -- Pitching is certainly an area of need for the Cubs, but it sure doesn’t feel like it when Matthew Boyd is on the mound.
In a streak of exceptional starts, the All-Star left-hander delivered his best yet on Saturday afternoon, quieting a red-hot Yankees lineup. He needed just 85 pitches to scatter four hits across eight scoreless innings, fueling a 5-2 bounceback victory at Yankee Stadium.
“It was a masterful performance,” manager Craig Counsell said. “That’s a very good offensive team. … He kept it really quiet.”
That’s just how things are going for Boyd, who lowered his ERA to 2.34 -- the seventh best among qualified starting pitchers. He’s now allowed two runs or fewer in nine consecutive starts, the longest active streak in the Majors.
“You just see him continue to get better,” said catcher Carson Kelly, who smashed his 12th home run of the season in the eighth inning. “As a player, that’s all you want to do. Every year, you come back, you want to get a little bit better. … He’s really found what works for him, and I think he’s really coming into his own.”
He’s become one of baseball’s best pitchers, too.
Amid the backdrop of Friday’s game -- when the Yankees pounded out 11 runs on 15 hits -- Boyd climbed the mound and set the tone immediately. He retired the first 11 hitters he faced until Aaron Judge’s two-out, two-strike double in the fourth inning.
The Cubs offense staked Boyd to an instant lead. Nico Hoerner -- batting leadoff for a second straight game -- smacked a leadoff triple off Max Fried; eight pitches later, Kyle Tucker brought Hoerner home with a groundout. Chicago tacked on three more runs in the third inning, ultimately tagging the All-Star for four runs (three earned) on three innings and 73 pitches before Fried exited with a blister.
Boyd took care of things from there. He used all five of his pitches to pepper the zone, tossing first-pitch strikes to 20 of the 27 batters that he faced.
“That’s something that we’ve preached,” Counsell said. “Get strike one, be ahead in the count. That’s the best way to limit pitch counts -- to be ahead in the count and put the hitter in a hole, in swing mode, as soon as you can.”
The Yankees were in swing mode all afternoon, but Boyd won the battle. He recorded five outs on the first pitch of an at-bat, which helped him complete eight innings in a start for the first time since April 24, 2021.
“It’s a fun way to go out before the All-Star break and put us in a position to win a series tomorrow,” Boyd said.
Even as Boyd mowed down hitters, the Cubs had an eye towards the future. He departed the game after just 85 pitches, with Counsell entrusting the bullpen to record the game’s final three outs. When asked if there was any temptation to give Boyd the ninth inning, the manager paused before adding, “Not really.”
“We’ve got to keep the big picture in mind here,” Counsell said. “He’s had a heck of a first half. He’s pitched so well, he’s throwing a ton of innings. So we’ll get him fresh for the second half.”
Included in that calculus is Boyd’s decision to not pitch in the All-Star Game.
Before Boyd learned of his All-Star bid -- a deserving first for the 11-year veteran, in his age-34 season -- he had a conversation with the Cubs about using the break to their advantage. On the other side of Tommy John surgery, Boyd has now thrown 111 2/3 innings this season, the most he’s thrown in a season since tossing 185 1/3 innings in 2019.
“There’s a chance to give you a breather, give you a blow, if you will,” Boyd said. “... The goal this year is to be fresh all the way [through] October. That’s something we’ve got to keep in mind as we go forward.”
It’s a realistic goal for the first-place Cubs, who improved to 29-10 following a loss this season, the best record in the Majors.
As for Boyd, he’ll go to Atlanta alongside his family to participate in the All-Star Week festivities. While there, he’ll be among deserved company, as he reminded everyone -- once again -- on Saturday.
“There’s no signs right now of him slowing down,” Counsell said. “He’s getting better.”