Left-hander Matthew Boyd returned to the Cubs after his stint with Crew USA within the World Baseball Basic and was promptly named the crew’s Opening Day starter by supervisor Craig Counsell. He’ll take the ball and be adopted by Cade Horton, Edward Cabrera, Jameson Taillon and Shota Imanaga in some order. Righties Javier Assad and Ben Brown are potential 40-man alternate options, and veteran Colin Rea will open the season in a swingman position within the bullpen.
Boyd, who turned 35 final month, tossed a career-high 179 1/3 innings with the Cubs final season. He labored to a robust 3.21 ERA with a barely below-average 21.4% strikeout fee however a terrific 5.8% stroll fee. Boyd is coming into the second season of a two-year, $29MM contract. He already unlocked $500K of incentives final 12 months based mostly on his workload, and he’ll be paid $14.5MM in 2026 with the chance to earn one other $500K by way of incentives (reaching 120 innings). He’s additionally owed a $2MM buyout on a 2027 mutual choice that received’t be picked up by each events.
In different Cubs information, the crew introduced its newest wave of cuts this morning. Lefties Luke Little and Ryan Rolison have been optioned to Triple-A, as was fleet-footed outfielder Justin Dean. The Cubs additionally reassigned a handful of non-roster gamers to minor league camp — Vince Velasquez most notable amongst them.
By sending Dean to Triple-A to start the season, the Cubs made it fairly possible that they’ll open the season with a present non-roster veteran holding a bench spot as a reserve outfielder. Former prime prospect Kevin Alcántara stays in large league camp and is on the 40-man roster, however he has an choice 12 months left and is at the moment 4-for-21 with 9 strikeouts in 23 official spring plate appearances. The crew would presumably want him to be taking part in every single day in Iowa moderately than sitting on the bench and grabbing a begin or two per week anyhow.
Probably the most notable non-roster outfielders in camp are Dylan Carlson, Michael Conforto and Chas McCormick. Carlson has been the best of the bunch and presents the bonus of being a switch-hitter who can deal with all three outfield spots. Conforto is a pure lefty who’s not an choice in middle area, although he has essentially the most distinguished main league monitor document of this group (albeit not previously couple seasons). McCormick is a righty-hitting middle fielder who can deal with all three spots and has crushed lefties previously (however struggled towards all opponents in 2025).
One participant who clearly appears ticketed for a closely used position off the bench: former prime prospect Matt Shaw. The 24-year-old hit simply .226/.295/.394 as a rookie however did have a pleasant exhibiting over the season’s last three months. The Cubs’ signing of Alex Bregman displaced Shaw from final 12 months’s dwelling at third base, and he’s now shifting into extra of a utility position.
We’ve already seen Shaw get some reps within the outfield and at second base, however The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma writes that he’s now working first base into his repertoire as properly. Shaw tells Sharma that he labored out at first base for about three days earlier than making his debut on the place there throughout yesterday’s Cactus League sport.
Getting some work in at first base is all of the extra necessary within the occasion of Tyler Austin‘s knee surgical procedure, which can maintain him sidelined for a number of months. Austin returned from Japan’s NPB this 12 months, signing a one-year cope with the Cubs to function a righty-swinging complement to Michael Busch at first base and the present some pop off the bench.
That position is clearly on maintain in the meanwhile, and with no clear choice to step up and take it — right-handed-hitting nook infield prospect Jonathon Lengthy has been slowed in camp by an elbow problem — Austin’s damage may create some further at-bats for Shaw within the early portion of the season. Busch batted .207/.274/.368 towards lefties final season and is a profession .230/.295/.356 hitter in left-on-left settings. Shaw hit .250/.318/.490 versus left-handers final 12 months and completed as a Gold Glove finalist on the scorching nook, so he ought to have the athleticism and defensive acumen to deal with a multi-position position.
