The Chicago Cubs have encountered a litany of injuries this season, mostly affecting the pitching staff.
They have just suffered yet another.
According to Taylor McGregor of the Marquee Network, Cubs starter Matthew Boyd is getting surgery on his left meniscus. He will be out for the foreseeable future, and his current timetable is unknown.
According to McGregor, Boyd’s injury happened on Wednesday morning while playing with his children.
According to MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian, right-hander Trent Thornton will be selected to the roster when Boyd hits the injured list and left-hander Charlie Barnes will be DFA’d to open a spot on the 40-man roster for Thornton.
This is yet another bad turn for a Cubs team that has enjoyed success in 2026 despite the seemingly never-ending list of injuries for the team.
The Cubs are currently 24-12 through 36 games, leading the NL Central by three games.
How Will This Affect the Chicago Cubs?
The loss of Boyd is one that will be incredibly costly. The Cubs have been rolling of late, with seven consecutive victories, the best streak in baseball.
Now, they will have to carry on despite a likely lengthy absence for Boyd. This will be the second IL stint for Boyd this season.
After Cade Horton’s Tommy John surgery earlier this year, the Cubs could ill-afford to lose yet another starter long-term.
Now, Shota Imanaga, Jameson Taillon and Edward Cabrera will have to carry the load. Colin Rea and Javier Assad will likely both start in the rotation during Boyd’s absence.
However, with the Cubs’ bullpen also currently thin, it’s possible that Thornton, who has experience starting, will be a part of the rotation as well.
Whatever the case may be, manager Craig Counsell has his hands full as the Cubs’ injury woes continue.
He will currently have Boyd, Horton, Justin Steele, Caleb Thielbar, Hunter Harvey, Porter Hodge, Jordan Wicks, Riley Martin and Ethan Roberts on the IL.
What’s Next for Boyd?
After a rough start to his major league career, Boyd finally broke out with the Cleveland Guardians in 2024, which was followed by an excellent postseason.
In 2025, Boyd signed with Chicago and was almost immediately thrust into the ace role. Boyd would make the All-Star Game in 2025, pitching to a 3.21 ERA in 31 starts.
So far in 2026, things have not gone to plan. The Cubs placed Boyd on the injured list after a left bicep strain early in the season.
In five starts, Boyd has pitched to a 6.00 ERA in 24 innings of work. While he has struck out 31 batters, walking just six, he has given up 9.4 H/9, leading to his inflated ERA.
However, he might be getting unlucky with a 4.14 xERA, according to Baseball Savant, and a 2.39 FIP.
Regardless of the numbers, Boyd’s presence as the ace of the club is paramount to Chicago’s success.
While the team won’t know the timetable for return until after the surgery, it could be anywhere from weeks to months before Boyd returns.
The Cubs will need a speedy recovery out of Boyd for Chicago’s efforts to win their first divisional title since the COVID-shortened 2020 season to be successful.
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