For different reasons, starting pitcher Matthew Boyd and second baseman Nico Hoerner did not have the first halves of the season they or the Cubs envisioned. Boyd dealt with injuries, and Hoerner simply underperformed
But there’s still time for them to give the Cubs what they need. And as both showed Saturday, they have the ability to contribute.
“Everything is just moving in the right direction: endurance, how you feel through the outing and afterward,” said Boyd, who threw six innings and allowed one run in the Cubs’ 6-2 win over the Twins. “All that’s feeling good.”
The Cubs were counting on Boyd, an All-Star last year, to steady a rotation that was hit with the season-ending injury to Cade Horton and continuing uncertainty around Justin Steele. Instead, Boyd had been one of the numerous Cubs pitchers to spend time on the injured list, including a stint that came after a knee injury he sustained playing with his kids.
Now that he’s healthy, Boyd is providing what the Cubs expected. Saturday was Boyd’s third straight start of at least six innings, and he has a 2.57 ERA since coming off the IL on June 25.
And because of the time on the IL, Boyd’s arm might be fresher than it would be if he had stayed in the rotation all season. Boyd has thrown just 52 innings so far; by July 22 of last year he had already tossed 118 2/3.
“There is definitely a silver lining to that,” said Boyd, who reached 10 years of service time Friday. “You don’t know what tomorrow’s going to hold [so] you just react. That’s the only thing you can do, is control your reaction.”
Hoerner also kept control of his emotions after Saturday’s game when he had four hits for the fifth time in his career. Signed to a six-year, $141 million contract extension in March that established him as a long-term piece of the Cubs’ core, Hoerner is still playing his usual strong defense, but the bat hasn’t kept up.
Even with Saturday, Hoerner’s on-base percentage is at .313. He hopes his day against the Twins — when he had four singles, scored once and drove in another run — is a sign of better things to come.
“I’m going to do my best,” Hoerner said. “I’m going to attack the game and prepare hard and compete. Our team’s in a really great place and I know I am. I’m lucky to be healthy and to be confident and I’m excited for everything the rest of the year has in store.”
Hoerner acknowledged he has not been productive or helped the Cubs score runs. His track record says he can, and Saturday he illustrated what he can bring to the lineup.
“It was coming,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “A good time to get it.”
Both Boyd and Hoerner were helped Saturday by Michael Busch, whose first-inning home run gave the Cubs a 1-0 lead. The 402-foot drive ended up in the hands of Anthony Rizzo, who was sitting in the right-field bleachers with his 2016 teammates.
As cute a moment as that was, Rizzo coming away with a home run ball won’t have any impact on the rest of the year. For this group to come close to matching what the 2016 Cubs did and get the same reaction in 2036, they’ll have to get contributions from players like Boyd and Hoerner.
Boyd said it would be “really fun” to experience in a decade what the 2016 team is this weekend.
“We know what we’re capable of,” Boyd said. “We still believe, collectively, our best baseball is ahead of us.”
