The Cubs will lean on one of their steadiest starters Sunday afternoon as they try to lock down a series win in Kansas City.
Matthew Boyd gets the ball for Chicago against the Royals at Kauffman Stadium, with first pitch set for 1:10 PM CT. The Cubs have been rolling lately, so a loss in the finale would stand out. Boyd, though, has given them exactly what they need over the last stretch: length, consistency, and results.
That hasn’t always been the case for this rotation, which is why Boyd’s recent run matters so much. Over his last seven starts, the former All-Star has posted a 2.66 ERA and has worked at least 6.0 innings in six straight outings. For a staff that hasn’t exactly been built around piling up easy innings, that kind of stretch has been a major boost.
His most recent outing wasn’t his cleanest. On August 3, Boyd allowed nine hits and four earned runs while striking out three against the Dodgers. Even so, the Cubs still won that game, and he should have a friendlier assignment Sunday against a Kansas City lineup that doesn’t bring the same kind of punch.
The Royals will counter with Randy Dobnak, who was called up in early July and has made six appearances, including four in a row. He’s been sharp in that stretch, putting up a 1.16 ERA and allowing just two combined runs since his first start on July 18.
Still, he hasn’t seen an offense as dangerous as Chicago’s, and his tendency to put runners on base could matter against a disciplined Cubs group. Dobnak walked three batters against the Twins in his last outing.
He’s also a ground-ball pitcher who leans on a sinker, sweeper, and change-up, working regularly at the bottom of the zone.
Chicago’s lineup will look a little different again. Peter Crow-Armonstrong is back at DH for the second time since Tyrone Taylor arrived, and the first try paid off in a big way when he blasted two home runs against the Dodgers. Seiya Suzuki is getting the day off, while Michael Conforto starts in right field with the DH spot occupied.
The Cubs also had a different kind of debut to digest Saturday. Clay Holmes made his first start for Chicago and allowed four earned runs on six hits. It wasn’t a disaster, but it also wasn’t the kind of arrival Cubs fans were hoping for from one of the club’s biggest deadline additions.
Holmes hasn’t pitched in a major league game since May, so some rust was always part of the equation. Chicago brought him back to the big leagues without another rehab start, and now the adjustment has officially begun.
For now, the focus shifts to Boyd and a Cubs team trying to keep its strong run going.
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