Chicago Cubs: Is bringing Matthew Boyd back a viable option?

The Chicago Cubs obviously need to focus on pitching this offseason.

Their entire end-of-season starting rotation could be gone via free agency and what remains is full of doubts and question marks.

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As of right now, Justin Steele—who hasn’t pitched in nearly two seasons due to elbow surgery—sits atop a rotation comprised of Ben Brown, who had his season shut down in June because of a recurring neck problem, and the twice-injured and generally disappointing Edward Cabrera. Behind those three, there’s Javier Assad, Braxton Garrett, and the faintest possibility of Cade Horton returning late in the season following this past April’s Tommy John surgery.

So, if the Cubs are serious about making a playoff run in 2027, they’ll need more pitching.

Making their offseason shopping plans more difficult, though, is the looming labor dispute and the likelihood that the offseason—as well as the regular season—will be cut short.

The limited time in which to acquire several pitching assets this offseason would seem to make it more likely that the Cubs might lean on their relationships with 2026 Cubs to bring some back for 2027 and beyond.

A second tour in Chicago for Matthew Boyd?

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Could one of those targeted keepers be Matthew Boyd?

Carson Wolf of Just Baseball recently made the case for possibly bringing back the veteran lefty as a low-risk investment:

“With the project Jed Hoyer has in front of him, filling out the back end of the rotation may be easiest if he looks to reunite with members of the 2026 staff.

The organization is not only familiar with Boyd but has also seen him make four postseason starts for the club. He would provide a veteran presence in what could be an inexperienced rotation next year, something teams value.

However, Jed Hoyer has made it clear that improving the pitching staff is a top priority this winter. Whether bringing Boyd back would accomplish that is a legitimate question.

As we covered, his numbers remain strong, but there are legitimate red flags. Still, the likely contract would be relatively low-risk, and if the Cubs get 2025 Matthew Boyd, it could lead to much more success in the rotation next season.”

Boyd’s free agent value

Predictions on Boyd’s free agent contract are all over the place. ESPN feels that his age (soon-to-be-36) and past history of injury could see him forced into a one-year deal at about $10 million. Spotrac, on the other hand, values him at $41.8 million over two years.

If Wolf’s projection of a 1-2 year contract worth $13-18 million AAV is accurate, though, he might be a really viable option for a second tour in Chicago.

In his two years with the Cubs, Boyd has a 24-13 record with a 3.50 ERA over 53 games and 306.1 innings pitched.

Although Cubs pitching injuries have forced him more into a top-of-rotation role with the team, Boyd’s much better suited for a mid-rotation or back-of-rotation role. If he can be had on fourth or fifth-starter money, he might be a no-brainer as a Cubs pickup.

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