PEORIA, Ariz. – Spring coaching regarded so much completely different final yr for left-hander Matt Boyd, who made his Cubs Cactus League debut on Monday.
“This time final yr, I used to be preparing for the Little League season and doing my rehab at house,” he mentioned. “I’m grateful to be right here proper now and to be working in video games and dealing via conditions – excited to have a wholesome yr forward of me.”
Boyd, coming off his first season post-Tommy John surgery, threw two scoreless innings Monday towards the Padres. He restricted San Diego to 2 hits, with two walks and two strikeouts.
“I wouldn’t have wished the previous couple of years on anyone,” he mentioned of a collection of injury-riddled seasons. “However these have been a blessing to me, too. So I get to placed on this Cubs uniform, all of the historical past that comes with it. I get to go play at Wrigley Area; that’s one thing that I don’t take evenly. I’m tremendous grateful for, I’m tremendous excited for, that chance.
“And we get to be in a clubhouse with simply wonderful expertise, and a few wonderful folks. So a variety of issues to be pleased about. It’s an superior clean canvas forward of us for this group. And it’s thrilling to know that it’s going to be what we make of it, not what anyone else says.”
After signing a two-year deal worth $29 million with the Cubs this offseason, Boyd is ready to be an everyday rotation member. However with Boyd’s damage historical past in thoughts, the Cubs will regulate their workload expectations as wanted via the season.
“I don’t need to get too delicate about it,” supervisor Craig Counsell mentioned. “As a result of we wish him to pitch, and one of many causes we have been , is we thought he was set as much as actually have this nice full season. However we’ve simply bought to observe these cues.”
Boyd labored with catcher Miguel Amaya on Monday. They talked in between innings, and every so often mid-at-bat, the veteran left-hander gave enter on sequencing via PitchCom.
Boyd described the 25-year-old Amaya as “sensible past his years.” Boyd mentioned his slider was flatter than he wished it Monday, and Amaya gave him suggestions like: “Nice location. Form was a little bit completely different.”
Boyd beamed as he described the back-and-forth. It’s a standard a part of spring coach for brand spanking new battery mates. For Boyd, regular was refreshing.
“You return a calendar yr, I wasn’t on a group, I didn’t have an opportunity to get an enormous league job.” he mentioned. “However there was gratitude in attending to be house, as bizarre as that sounds. I bought to teach my youngsters; a variety of guys don’t get that chance within the season.
“Hopefully I don’t have that chance for about six-plus extra years.”
Turner makes Cubs spring debut
First baseman Justin Turner, who the Cubs signed last week, made his Cactus League debut along with his new group on Monday. He went 2-for-2 and drew a stroll.
His first day in camp was Thursday, and he was taking dwell batting follow by the subsequent day.
Cubs 10, Padres 5
The undefeated Cubs prolonged their Cactus League profitable streak to 5 video games on Monday. They reclaimed the benefit with a five-run sixth inning and held on to the lead the remainder of the way in which.
- Catcher Miguel Amaya led the Cubs with three hits. He has a 2.358 OPS this spring.
- Reliever Ben Keller once more dazzled along with his enhance in velocity, tossing two hitless innings. He topped out at 97.2 mph. His common four-seam fastball velocity final season was 93.8 mph.
- On deck: Diamondbacks at Cubs, 2:05 p.m. Tuesday, Mesa, Marquee, A.J. Puck vs. Jameson Taillon.
