Boyd’s scoreless streak hits 23 innings as Cubs topple Royals
Cubs manager Craig Counsell faced 959 pitchers during his major-league career, but Rich Hill wasn't one of them.
Hill, 45, added to his legend by making his 2025 debut with Kansas City against the Cubs on Tuesday at Wrigley Field.
Hill did well, but Cubs lefty Matthew Boyd has been one of the best in the National League all season. Boyd's 7 scoreless innings carried the Cubs to a 6-0 victory over the Royals.
Boyd has now thrown 23 consecutive scoreless innings, going back to a July 1 game against Cleveland. His 2.20 ERA is second in the National League to Pittsburgh's Paul Skenes.
“Somehow, he's just gotten better in this stretch,” Counsell said of Boyd. “He's just overwhelming hitters. It's just a great pitch mix and deception.
“It's just quality pitch after quality pitch. To get a hit, you've got to hit a good pitch. You've got to hit a pitcher's pitch. You're not going to get things in the middle of the plate. You're going to get different speeds. At 2-0, you're going to get a change-up located. It's just tough for the hitter to handle.”
The plan was to pitch Boyd on the fifth day coming out of the all-star break, so he could get some extra rest. Coming back from Tommy John surgery last year, he threw just 52 innings for Cleveland. This season, he's already at 118 with no signs of fatigue.
For his part, the soft-spoken Boyd (11-3) gave credit to catcher Carson Kelly for calling the pitches, and the defense behind him.
“It's a lot of fun,” Boyd said. “Change speeds, mixing it up. (Kelly) has been doing a great job of just seeing what they're trying to do and going from there.”
Hill made his MLB debut more than 20 years ago with the Cubs on June 16, 2005 at Wrigley Field, and the Royals are his 14th team, which matches an MLB record set by Edwin Jackson. He tossed 5 innings Tuesday, allowing 3 runs, but just one was earned.
Counsell's claim about not facing Hill checked out. His teams played against Hill, but the left-handed hitting Counsell always sat.
“I played for good managers,” Counsell joked before the game. “I think they were probably right. At the time, I probably didn't agree with it, but it was probably a good decision.”
Counsell didn't do terrible when facing left-handed pitchers, hitting .249 over his career, compared to .256 against righties. But just 4 of his 42 career home run came against left-handers.
There were no home runs Tuesday. The Cubs sort of chipped away with manufactured runs, using 8 singles and 7 stolen bases. Their only extra-base hit was a Pete Crow-Armstrong double in the fifth, which scored Kelly, but PCA was out trying to stretch it into a triple.
Nico Hoerner, Dansby Swanson and Matt Shaw had 2 hits each. Shaw now has 8 hits over the last five games. The stolen bases included 40-year-old Justin Turner swiping third and Kyle Tucker going home on a double steal.
Tucker was shaken up in the first inning when he fouled a pitch off the top of his right knee. He stayed in the game, but that's something to watch with a day game on Wednesday. Crow-Armstrong returned after missing a game with a knee bruise.
Rehab report: Javier Assad is set to pitch Thursday in the Arizona rookie league, with Miguel Amaya catching. Both players are recovering from oblique strains; Assad has yet to pitch in the majors this season. Counsell said the plan is for Assad to be with the Cubs this weekend against the White Sox, then head out for a rehab start at a minor league affiliate. Amaya should begin a rehab assignment in Iowa this weekend.
Porter Hodge (right shoulder impingement) threw a bullpen session Tuesday, while Jameson Taillon (calf strain) is set for live batting practice Friday.