Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd’s All-Star Game locker last week in Atlanta sat between those of Clayton Kershaw and Chris Sale. He let that sink in as he walked into the National League clubhouse.
‘‘It’s cool to walk into that clubhouse and see all the names in there,’’ Boyd said in a conversation this week with the Sun-Times. ‘‘And you’re one of the names in there.’’
One of three Cubs All-Stars this season, along with outfielders Pete Crow-Armstrong and Kyle Tucker, Boyd could have used the All-Star break as a time for reflection. After years of arm injuries limiting his potential, Boyd finally was pitching at a level he always had believed was possible, and he had his first career All-Star selection to prove it.
‘‘Without a doubt, this is really cool,’’ he said. ‘‘During the All-Star break last year, I was getting into my first rehab game about a week and a half after signing with the Guardians, fighting for a [major-league] contract. So that perspective isn’t lost by any means.
‘‘At the same time, this is just another stepping stone. There’s things that I know I still can do. It’s not the mountaintop.’’
What achievements is he’s still seeking?
‘‘I want to win the World Series,’’ he said. ‘‘And I still believe my best baseball’s ahead of me.’’
The Cubs, too, took the long view on Boyd’s All-Star break plan. That’s why he wasn’t available to pitch during the All-Star Game and why they pushed his first start of the unofficial second half to Tuesday against the Royals.
Boyd held the Royals to four hits, all singles, in seven scoreless innings in the Cubs’ 6-0 victory.
Boyd had a no-hit bid going until the fifth, when the Royals mounted their first scoring threat. But shortstop Dansby Swanson caught a soft line drive and made a diving tag at second base for an inning-ending double play.
It was Boyd’s third consecutive scoreless start, part of a 23-inning scoreless streak.
‘‘Somehow he’s gotten better in this stretch,’’ manager Craig Counsell said after the game. ‘‘He’s just overwhelming hitters. It’s a great pitch mix and deception. And you watch the Bobby Witt [Jr.] at-bats, who’s one of the best hitters in the game, and what he did there tonight is a great example of just how good the stuff is.’’
Boyd induced Witt to fly out on a changeup and struck him out twice.
A healthy Boyd, continuing to pitch at this level, gives Cubs their best shot at making a deep playoff run, regardless of what additions they make at the trade deadline.
Asked whether this team might be the one that achieves Boyd’s World Series goal, he didn’t hesitate.
‘‘Without a doubt,’’ he said. ‘‘We have a special group.’’
After the Brewers’ 1-0 loss to the Mariners, which ended their 11-game winning streak, the Cubs moved back into a tie for the lead in the National League Central and for the best record in the NL. They are in solid position for the stretch run.
‘‘Playoff teams come in all different shapes and sizes,’’ said Boyd, who pitched in the postseason for the Mariners in 2022 and the Guardians last season. ‘‘But there always needs to be a belief and a trust in the guy next to you. . . . And we have guys like that across the board.’’
So, yes, Boyd has moved on from his midseason accolade. But he still took home cherished memories from Atlanta.
Before the All-Star Game, Boyd shared an embrace with his dad, Kurt, who started tearing up.
‘‘It was extremely special to me, something I’ll always remember,’’ Boyd said of his All-Star selection. ‘‘But I didn’t really think about how special that could be for him in that moment. That was a cool moment.’’