Chicago Cubs pitcher Matthew Boyd made his first rehab appearance Thursday at Triple-A Iowa following his April 6 placement on the IL with a left biceps strain. The 35-year-old lefty pitched 3 2/3 innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits while striking out six in a positive step toward return.
Matthew Boyd took the mound for Triple-A Iowa in a game at Columbus on Thursday, his first rehab start since going on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to April 3) with a left biceps strain. He threw 64 pitches over 3 2/3 innings in Iowa's extra-innings win, surrendering three earned runs with six strikeouts and one walk. Boyd's fastball reached 94.1 mph early, above his MLB average of 92.7 mph this season, though averaging 93.1 mph later.
He opened with a 1-2-3 first inning but ran into trouble in the second: Stuart Fairchild's leadoff double, Nolan Jones' RBI liner, another double, and a sacrifice fly before two strikeouts. Boyd bounced back with a scoreless third and two more strikeouts in the fourth before Gabe Klobosits took over.
The Cubs' rotation remains depleted early in 2026, with Cade Horton's season-ending elbow injury and IL stints for Jaxon Wiggins, Phil Maton, and Hunter Harvey. Boyd, the Opening Day starter, had mixed results pre-injury: struggling vs. the Nationals but strong vs. the Angels (5 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 10 K). The team anticipates a short IL stint, viewing the strain as minor.
