Cubs To Sign Matthew Boyd

The Cubs have agreed with left-hander Matthew Boyd on a two-year deal that can assure him $29MM, per a report from Jon Heyman of the New York Post. The deal contains $1MM in efficiency bonuses that would take the entire assure to $30MM over two years.

Boyd, 34 in February, made his large league debut with the Blue Jays again in 2018 however established himself within the majors as a member of the Tigers the next 12 months. From 2016 to 2020, Boyd served as a barely beneath league common starter for Detroit with a 4.75 ERA (95 ERA+) and 4.54 FIP in 727 innings of labor. The southpaw at occasions flashed thrilling peripherals, such because the 2019 season when he punched out 30.2% of opponents in 185 1/3 frames whereas strolling simply 6.3%, however his total physique of labor solid him as extra of a strong back-of-the-rotation arm than anything. Boyd’s time with the Tigers got here to an in depth when he required surgical procedure to restore a torn flexor tendon late within the 2021 marketing campaign, which left him restricted to only ten aid appearances as a member of the Mariners. He returned to the Tigers in 2023 however made simply 15 begins to lackluster outcomes earlier than going beneath the knife a second time, this time as a consequence of Tommy John surgical procedure.

As soon as once more a free agent coming off main surgical procedure, Boyd remained unsigned headed into the 2024 season earlier than ultimately touchdown a giant league cope with the Guardians again in June. The lefty didn’t make his season debut till mid-August after constructing as much as sport readiness within the minor leagues, however as soon as he suited up for Cleveland he regarded fairly good with a 2.72 ERA and three.29 FIP in 39 2/3 innings of labor throughout eight begins down the stretch. He struck out 27.7% of his opponents whereas strolling simply 7.3%, which might have given Boyd one of many higher Okay-BB% figures for a starter within the sport this 12 months if he had pitched sufficient innings to qualify. The lefty constructed on that strong common season efficiency with a powerful exhibiting throughout the Guardians’ run to the ALCS. He pitched 12 innings for the membership throughout 4 appearances (three begins), and struck out 28% of opponents whereas posting a blinding 0.75 ERA.

That robust end to Boyd’s season left the southpaw poised to garner loads of curiosity in free company this winter, even despite his checkered damage historical past. MLBTR ranked Boyd because the #23 free agent on this winter’s class on our annual Top 50 MLB free agents list, and predicted a two-year, $25MM assure that is available in slightly below the pact he in the end landed with the Cubs. Boyd turns into the fourth beginning pitcher to signal a multi-year deal this winter, becoming a member of Yusei Kikuchi’s three-year pact with the Angels, Blake Snell’s five-year contract with the Dodgers, and the two-year agreement between Frankie Montas and the Mets that was reported earlier this night.

Notably, all 4 hurlers have been unencumbered by draft decide compensation in a pitching market the place loads of borderline candidates akin to Nick Pivetta and Luis Severino have been prolonged the Qualifying Provide by their golf equipment. Every pitcher has landed a deal that are available above expectations, although solely Montas did so by a major quantity. Even so, that appears to have pushed golf equipment that aren’t involved in signing a professional free agent to behave shortly, and whereas the calendar has solely simply flipped to December the market is already starting to skinny when it comes to starters who aren’t connected to a Qualifying Provide. MLBTR predicted multi-year offers for simply 4 extra free agent starters who aren’t connected to draft decide compensation this winter: Jack Flaherty, Nathan Eovaldi, Andrew Heaney, and Jose Quintana. Exterior of that quartet, golf equipment will both should forfeit draft picks and bonus pool cash with the intention to signal a professional free agent, check out a rebound candidate like Max Scherzer or Walker Buehler, or discover the commerce market with the intention to improve their rotations.

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