The Cubs and Matthew Boyd Face Difficulties

The Chicago Cubs and pitcher Matthew Boyd might need to rethink their approach. In Game 1 of the National League Division Series, the Cubs struggled against the Milwaukee Brewers after Boyd had a rough start.

After the Cubs took an early 1-0 lead due to a leadoff home run from Michael Bush, things quickly went downhill for Boyd. He gave up three consecutive doubles in the bottom of the first inning, which allowed the Brewers to regain the lead almost instantly.

Things continued to unravel. After walking Andrew Vaughan and allowing two runners on base, Boyd did manage to strike out Christian Yelich. Yet, it didn’t help much when Cubs’ second baseman Nico Horner mishandled a hit, allowing another run to score.

With two outs in the inning, Blake Perkins hit a single that drove in another run, forcing Boyd out of the game prematurely.

As if that wasn’t enough, Jackson Choi added to the woes with a two-run single in the second inning, pushing the Brewers’ lead to 6-1.

The Brewers managed to add three more runs, effectively keeping the game out of reach for a potential comeback by the Cubs. Boyd recorded only two outs and allowed six hits, ultimately conceding six runs, along with one walk.

In contrast, Boyd’s previous start during the wildcard round against the Padres had been considerably more solid, where he pitched four innings and allowed just one run in Chicago’s Game 1 victory.

Boyd entered Saturday’s matchup on just three days of rest, which raised some eyebrows. Cubs manager Craig Counsell had noted earlier that pitchers, particularly left-handers, often face challenges when given such limited recovery time.

“He’s been on a short turnaround, I guess,” Counsell mentioned. “We’re not looking at it as a standard length start, but, yes, it seemed like he might have felt the pressure once he got to the dugout.”