The Rundown: Boyd Named OD Starter, WBC Tourney Starts, Free Agency Winding Down

Matthew Boyd was given a choice: Stay with Team USA as a middle reliever who wasn’t going to get enough innings to be fully stretched out, or head back to Mesa and be the Cubs’ Opening Day starter. The decision to withdraw from the World Baseball Classic may not have been particularly easy, but it was the only one that made sense. After all, Boyd’s last Opening Day start came in 2021, and he went on to throw 202.2 total innings over four seasons.

“You don’t know if the opportunity is ever going to present itself again,” Boyd told reporters at Cubs camp on Thursday. “So it’s an honor. I mean, 162 games is a long season. It’s really cool to be out there to start it out.”

Much like Tarik Skubal rejoining the Tigers after just one start, Boyd’s truncated stint with Team USA wasn’t entirely unexpected. It’s just that not one of those lefties draws a little more attention than the other. Boyd and manager Craig Counsell had been having conversations about the possibility of taking the bump against the Angels on March 26, so at least a few folks were aware that he’d need a more standard on-ramp to make it happen.

He could have taken things a little easier and settled into a spot further down in the rotation, which is probably what should have been the case based purely on expectations. I have been saying for a while now that Cade Horton is the staff ace and should be unofficially anointed as such, but there’s a little something more when it comes to starting the first game of the season. It’s not just about what you will do, but what you have done.

“You earn these things,” Counsell said. “And Matthew has earned this with how he’s pitched last year and since coming back from an injury. He had a great season last year. He’s a very important player for us, and we’re excited to give him the ball on Opening Day.”

It’s also important to remember what this means to Boyd. Not just the chance to start, but to do so for his late grandfather’s favorite team. He teared up talking about his Cubs connection during his introductory press conference, and it was surely on his mind as he weighed his options. In the end, who starts when only matters once you get to the postseason. So I’m more than okay with Boyd getting the call here because he really gets it.

“It’s really cool to be out there to start it out,” Boyd said. “To do that at Wrigley is really, really special. To do it in a Cubs uniform is really, really special. Those aren’t things I take lightly. Opening Day should be a holiday in Chicago with the buzz and energy that surrounds the field and the city.”

WBC Bracket Play Opens

The WBC quarterfinals begin tonight in Miami and Houston, with Korea and the Dominican Republic facing off before the US and Canada play. Former Cubs great Michael Soroka will get the start for the hosers, and he should be facing the A lineup. Not that there’s really such a thing as a B lineup with this group, though keeping some of the big guns out nearly cost Mark DeRosa‘s squad a chance to advance.

A potential rematch with Italy awaits the winners, but Vinnie Pasquantino and company will have to get through Puerto Rico first. That game takes place on Saturday afternoon in Houston, followed by Japan and Venezuela that evening in Miami. I’ll say Team USA and the DR win tonight, then Puerto Rico ends Italy’s fun before Japan takes care of business. Then we’ll get a rematch of the last WBC championship game, this time with a different result.

For as much flak as they took for finishing pool play on cruise control, I think their near-death experience woke the Americans up. Let me clarify: It woke up the Americans playing for Team USA. We know the American-Italians were awake already because they’d been hammering espresso shots like an 80s rock band snorting rails of blow.

More News and Notes

• Lefties Danny Coulombe (Red Sox, $1M) and Jalen Beeks (Rangers, minors) both inked deals yesterday to thin out what is remaining of the free agent relief market. Lucas Giolito is the biggest unsigned player remaining, but there are several other familiar faces waiting on deals. Former Cubs greats Marcus Stroman, Justin Wilson, and Jorge Lopez join Rowdy Tellez, Jesse Winker, and more.
• José Berríos is dealing with elbow inflammation that will prevent him from joining Puerto Rico in the WBC. There’s no structural damage and the righty was not feeling any pain, but an MRI that was required for insurance on his WBC participation revealed the issue.
• DeRosa has backtracked on his comments about thinking Team USA had already clinched a quarterfinal berth, calling it a “false narrative.” Does he know that video exists of him literally saying that? Maybe he’s trying to join Mark Teixeira in politics.
• Professional bowler Cameron Crowe was arrested in Carmel, IN (sounds like the confection, not the city for which Clint Eastwood served as mayor) on multiple drug charges just before he is set to be featured in an upcoming HBO documentary. That’s too bad, he was almost famous.
• Royals teammates Pasquantino and Bobby Witt Jr. have shared a house dubbed “The Wittz-Carlton” during spring training for the last two years. They carpool to and from camp in a minivan. Sounds pretty fun.
• It’s been quite a week for college baseball in central Indiana. Marian University, my wife’s alma mater, beat Goshen College 43-3 on Monday; Butler University, where my daughter is a freshman, lost 27-3 to Wichita State yesterday. Butler’s 10.44 aggregate ERA last year ranked 295th out of 299 Division 1 programs, so this year’s 8.79 is actually a big improvement.
• Marian outscored Goshen 99-15 in a four-game sweep, which is yikes on bikes. That can’t be good for recruiting.
• In what should come as a shock to no one, home plate ump C.B. Bucknor had three calls overturned in the 1st inning yesterday.
• If you love Stephen King and have too much money, SK Tours of Maine is selling some rare, signed books from the personal collection of Bangor local Bobby Russell. We’re talking about some rare stuff that would be very valuable even without King’s signature.
• High school baseball is underway across much of the country, but we’re still waiting on tryouts. Perfect timing, since the forecast calls for highs below freezing on Monday and Tuesday. I do not expect that my kid will make the team, so you can probably expect me to stop blathering about that until June.

Trailer Time

Though it’s only in production now and won’t come out for another year, I love me some Godzilla and Kong. These movies have joined the Fast franchise when it comes to unapologetic, balls-to-the-wall popcorn action. Just strap in, suspend all reality, and enjoy the ride.