With Justin Steele out until early-to-mid season, Matthew Boyd is considered the ace of the Chicago Cubs pitching staff. There is good reason for this, too. Last year, his first season with Chicago, Boyd was 14-8 with a 3.21 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. He started 31 games and pitched 179.2 innings while striking out 154 batters.
He is entering the second year of his two-year contract with the Cubs, though there is a mutual option for 2027. However, as he is 35 years old and on the back nine of his career, there are concerns that he may not have what it takes to be the ace of a staff that is expected to compete for a World Series.
Chicago Cubs pitcher Matthew Boyd gets low ranking among MLB aces
Oct 4, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Matthew Boyd (16) reacts after being taken out of the game against the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning of game one of the NLDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
Last year, at 34 years old, Boyd was named to the All-Star team for the first time in his long Major League career. Indeed, it was his best season ever, and Bleacher Report is not sure he will be able to repeat it, ranking him 19th among MLB aces:
“At 34 years old, Matthew Boyd put together a career year for the Cubs, logging nearly 180 innings and earning a spot in the All-Star Game, making the two-year, $29 million deal Jed Hoyer gave him prior to the 2025 campaign look like a stroke of genius.
“The concern for Boyd has always been health, as he pitched just 263 total regular-season innings between 2020 and 2024. Given the history and that he’s in his mid-30s, it’s fair to have some skepticism about Boyd’s ability to match his workload from a year ago. Still, it’s an amazing turn of events that Boyd pitched well enough last year to be picked for Team USA’s World Baseball Classic roster.
“With a rotation headlined by Boyd, Cade Horton, Shota Imanaga, and Edward Cabrera, there’s a wide variance of outcomes for the Cubs in 2026. The ceiling is high, but a big part of hitting that potential is dependent upon Boyd making 30+ starts for the second season in a row.”
Healthy, as always, will be a major concern for the Cubs in 2026, especially with a starting rotation that is going to be without Steele for at least the first two months of the year.
As for Boyd, he was 46-69 with a 4.85 ERA in his career before joining the Cubs last season. Given his age, there is every reason to wonder if he will regress in 2026.
Hopefully, Chicago has enough quality pitching depth to make up for that if it happens.
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