For most of the summer, Matthew Boyd gave the Chicago Cubs exactly what they needed. He took the ball, worked deep into games and rarely made Craig Counsell reach for the bullpen early.
Saturday was different. Very, very different.
A Cardinals rookie stepped into Wrigley Field for his MLB debut and spent the afternoon launching Boyd’s pitches into the seats. By the time Joshua Báez finished his historic introduction, Boyd’s secure place in the Cubs rotation did not feel quite so secure.
Boyd could not solve a hitter he had never faced
Báez homered on the first major league pitch he saw. That happens. A talented rookie guesses correctly, runs into one and creates a memory he can tell people about for the next 40 years.
The next two home runs were harder to dismiss.
Báez faced Boyd three times and took him deep three times, becoming the first player in MLB history to homer in each of his first three at-bats. One went to left-center, another stayed inside the left-field line and the third landed in right. Boyd tried changing locations. Báez kept changing where the ball landed.
Blaze Jordan eventually added another home run, ending Boyd’s afternoon after 5 1/3 innings. His final line included seven earned runs, five hits and three walks. An ERA that had been sitting at 3.50 suddenly read 4.02.
That escalated quickly.
3 home runs in his first 3 Major League at-bats 😤
— MLB (@MLB) August 15, 2026
Did Joshua Báez put on the best MLB debut EVER?! pic.twitter.com/P43Qi4d4cn
The Cubs finally have enough pitching to be picky
Normally, one awful start would earn a shrug. Pitchers have them, especially at Wrigley Field during the summer. Boyd had also entered Saturday with five straight outings of at least six innings and a 2.14 ERA since the All-Star break.
The Cubs’ current rotation situation changes the reaction.
Kevin Gausman and Clay Holmes arrived at the trade deadline. Shota Imanaga is still around, and Edward Cabrera is returning from the injured list. Counsell has more starters than available postseason assignments, which means somebody capable will eventually get squeezed.
Boyd had spent the past several weeks making a convincing case for himself. He was reliable, experienced and pitching better as the season moved along. Then he allowed a 23-year-old making his debut to turn Wrigley Field into his personal launch party.
Saturday does not remove Boyd from the rotation. It does give Counsell something to remember when those October decisions arrive.
Boyd cannot afford many more afternoons like this
Chicago owns a 72-52 record and currently sits atop the National League wild-card standings. Reaching the postseason is no longer some optimistic fantasy. The Cubs should be preparing for it.
That includes deciding which three starters they would trust in a short series.
Boyd can regain his footing with a strong response. His work since the All-Star break suggests he probably will. Even so, the Cubs did not rebuild their pitching staff at the deadline so everyone could keep the same job.
One terrible outing is survivable. A second one would begin to look like something else.
Boyd has earned another chance. His postseason rotation spot, however, is officially back up for discussion.
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