Chicago Cubs: Matthew Boyd delivers mixed results in first rehab outing

The Chicago Cubs have been through the wringer the first three weeks or so of this 2026 campaign. Alongside an offense that spent much of the early season deep in the doldrums, the pitching has also been suffering through a rash of pitching injuries that is already taxing a staff once lauded for its depth.

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The one shred of possible good news, however, is that Opening Day starter Matthew Boyd, who was placed on the 15-day IL with a left biceps strain after his second start of the season, may be close to making his return to the team.

There was a bit of good news-bad news, however, in his first rehab start with the Triple-A Iowa Cubs on Thursday.

Matthew Boyd starts rehab in Iowa

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The bad news was that he allowed 3 earned runs, 4 hits, and a walk in 3.2 innings against the Columbus Clippers.

The good news was that he struck out 6 batters during this outing and his fastball velocity was up to 94.1 mph (from an average velocity of 92.7 mph in his first two starts of this season).

The Cubs are reportedly viewing this rehab stay as minimal with the 35-year-old expected to rejoin the big league squad as soon as this coming Tuesday for the series at home against the Philadelphia Phillies. Despite comments from manager Craig Counsell and Boyd himself that this IL stint was more precautionary in nature, there was still fear among many that the biceps issue would result in a more complicated rehab.

That fear was obviously exasperated by the recent run of horrible bad luck washing over the Cubs pitching staff.

The Cubs’ insane run of bad luck

In just his second start of the season, 24-year-old one-time top pitching prospect and emerging ace Cade Horton went down with an elbow injury that required season-ending surgery. Matthew Boyd was next on the “hit” list, suffering his left biceps strain right after the Horton gut punch.

Following those two blasts of starting rotation misfortune, it was the bullpen’s turn to fall into the darkness. Phil Maton got put on the shelf with right knee tendonitis. Then, Hunter Harvey was placed on the IL with right triceps inflammation. Ethan Roberts, who was called up to help fill the bullpen voids, then got taken out due to a freak finger laceration. Porter Hodge, who started the season with Triple-A Iowa but was expected to be called up to the big leagues at some point, suffered his own elbow injury and will undergo season-ending surgery. To make matters even worse, current top pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins was just placed on the IL in Iowa with right elbow inflammation.

Again, all of this was within a three-week span of time.

If Boyd can make a healthy and productive return to the starting rotation, a good amount of pressure will be off the team to compensate and, also, off the front office to make a trade or free agent pickup out of desperation.

The southpaw Boyd is 1-1 so far on the season with a 6.75 ERA, but had already registered 17 strikeouts in 9.1 innings.

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Source: https://www.chicitysports.com/chicago-cubs-matthew-boyd-rehab-iowa-results/