Matthew Boyd Is HIM…and He’s Headed to Atlanta

One year removed from rehab, the Cubs quiet ace is headed to the All-Star game with elite numbers, steady leadership and gratitude.

Matthew Boyd is 9-3 with a 2.52 ERA in 18 starts this season. (Cubs v Cardinals July 6, 2025 - Destiny Little - The Bigs Visuals)

CHICAGO — Seiya Suzuki ranks seventh in MLB with 25 home runs and leads the league in RBI with 77 RBI.

Michael Busch is fifth in MLB in OPS (.950) and fourth in slugging (.566). Since May 18, he’s batting .351 with 11 home runs and 32 RBI.

Before his bullpen day start Saturday, Drew Pomeranz was the only qualified pitcher in MLB (minimum 25 games) who had yet to allow an earned run. 

All three were worthy of an All-Star nod—but none more than starting pitcher Mathew Boyd. He will join Kyle Tucker and Pete Crow-Armstrong representing the Cubs in Atlanta next Tuesday in the 125th "Midsummer Classic."

"It's been outstanding. It's an All-Star. It’s an All-Stars type of performance for sure," said manager Craig Counsell after Boyd continued his unbelievable first half Sunday evening. 

Boyd picked up his ninth win of the season with five innings of three-hit, nine strikeout ball in the Cubs 11-0 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball. He's now tied for the NL lead in wins, ranks fourth in ERA (2.52), sixth with a 1.07 WHIP and owns a 9-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. In 18 starts this season, Boyd has tossed less than five frames and allowed more than three earned runs once—with 13 quality starts.

The southpaw returned from Tommy John surgery last season and helped the Cleveland Guardians lock up a postseason spot with a 2.72 ERA over his last eight starts. He followed that up with an 0.77 ERA in three postseason appearances, helping Cleveland reach the ALCS—and putting him on the Cubs’ free agent radar.

Boyd was signed to a two-year, $29 million contract over the winter, and for a pitcher with a long injury history, he's been HIM—stepping up in a starting rotation that’s been beat up since Opening Day. Justin Steele underwent a season-ending surgery to repair his UCL. Shota Imanaga returned last week after missing seven weeks with a hamstring injury. Ben Brown has had his ups and downs and is now back in the minors and rookie Cade Horton has been thrown into the fire—growing and developing in the Bigs. (pun intended)

"Losing Steele so early then obviously losing Shota for almost two months, we really needed Matt to step up, especially with some of the young guys sort of getting their feet wet. He's done an amazing job," said President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer.

A first time All-Star and extremely high-character guy—arguably the nicest professional athlete I've encountered (he introduced himself to me first, with a memorable smile and firm handshake) deferred to being "a product of the people around me" when asked about his emotions when he received the news from Counsell.

"Ah man, it's definitely something super special. It's an honor, something you dream about and it's pretty cool but I'm a product of the people around me. I'm having the year I'm having because of people like Carson Kelly, Miguel Amaya, you know...Reese behind the plate. Because of the guys in the infield from Matty Shaw to Dansby and Nico and Buschy and Berti making plays in the infield. Happer, PCA, Tuck and Seiya making plays in the outfield. I don't get that honor without them. I don't get it without the help that Tommy, Casey and Z have poured into me from the pitching side so I'm super thankful for the people around me and it's an honor."

Betting on himself has paid off in a major way. One year ago, Boyd hadn’t even started his rehab assignment. Now he’s headed to Atlanta to join the rest of the best at Truist Park on July 15th.

“I’m glad there’s someone writing the script that writes a much better script than me,” Boyd said. Someone more powerful than me is in charge and that’s pretty cool when it comes down to that. It doesn’t really make a lot of sense but I have a ton of gratitude for it.”

**And yes Seiya Suzuki should’ve been the fourth Cub added to the NL roster