Matthew Boyd will take the ball for the Cubs on Tuesday night, opening their National League Wild Card Series against the Padres at Petco Park. Chicago is turning to the veteran left-hander after he helped lock down the club’s postseason berth in his final regular-season outing.
Key takeaways
- Boyd is scheduled to start Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series for Chicago.
- The Cubs and Padres will meet Tuesday at Petco Park.
- First pitch is set for 10 p.m. ET, 9 p.m. CT and 7 p.m. PT, with Peacock and NBCSN carrying the game.
- Boyd finished the regular season at 10-5 with a 3.91 ERA.
- He held the Marlins to one run over seven innings last Thursday as Chicago secured its postseason spot.
Boyd gets the October assignment
The 35-year-old Boyd enters the series coming off a composed, seven-inning performance against Miami. He surrendered five hits and one run in that postseason-clinching win, giving the Cubs the kind of late-season start they wanted to see before handing him the Game 1 assignment.
For the season, Boyd went 10-5 and posted a 3.91 ERA. Now he will face a familiar October opponent in San Diego, with the opening game carrying the immediate pressure of a short Wild Card Series.
Experience against the Padres
Boyd has appeared in seven postseason games during his career, making six starts. His October record stands at 2-3.
He also has recent Wild Card experience against these same Padres. Boyd started the first game of last year’s National League Wild Card Series versus San Diego and allowed one run across 4 1/3 innings. The Cubs will ask him to build on that history Tuesday, when Petco Park becomes the first stop on their postseason road.
