Cubs lose another pitcher after Matthew Boyd suffers bizarre meniscus injury

Chicago Cubs pitcher Matthew Boyd. Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

Cubs lose another pitcher after Matthew Boyd suffers bizarre meniscus injury

By Vanessa Serrao | Last updated May 7, 2026 2:20 PM ET

Add us as a preferred source on Google

The Chicago Cubs added Matthew Boyd to the 15-day IL, adding to the crowded list of injuries to their pitching staff.

He underwent surgery to repair his left meniscus.

The injury was the result of an accident that occurred at home while playing with his children.

The nature of the injury is frustrating, and leaves the Cubs to rely on depth options such as Javier Assad and Edward Cabrera to bridge the gap.

"As great as the Cubs are going, every team in that division is over .500. They're going to have to 'survive' a little bit until July when maybe they can fix this..."@Joelsherman1, @SeverinoMLB and Mike Lowell talk about the Cubs pitching depth following Matthew Boyd's injury. pic.twitter.com/3E5ud1K8nw
— MLB Now (@MLBNow) May 7, 2026

The Cubs have over 10 pitchers on the IL, including key starters Justin Steele and Cade Horton.

Horton will be out for the season, and Steele is expected to return following the All-Star break. Losing another starting pitcher (Boyd) is a substantial blow to the rotation.

Boyd was coming off a successful 2025 All-Star-Star campaign, posting a 14-8 record with a 3.21 ERA. Boyd functioned as a reputable rotation arm, ranking in the 95th percentile with a 37.7% chase rate and in the 92nd percentile with a 31% strikeout rate.

The Cubs are in first place in the NL Central with a 25-12 record. But if they want to remain on top, they may have to examine trade options to weather the storm of injuries.

Jon Morosi talked about Minnesota Twins pitcher Bailey Ober as a trade candidate for the Cubs following the Boyd injury.

Just before we learned that Chicago left-hander Matthew Boyd needs meniscus surgery, @jonmorosi shared a name to watch for the Cubs on the trade market — Twins right-hander Bailey Ober. pic.twitter.com/4zvlCfzSzy
— 104.3 The Score (@thescorechicago) May 6, 2026

Vanessa Serrao

Serrao is a freelance baseball writer who has covered all MLB teams, with particular expertise on the Toronto Blue Jays. She is a member of the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America.

More must-reads: