CLEVELAND – Four hundred and twenty-two days.
Four hundred and twenty-two days of waiting, of slow, grueling rehab, of throwing to back fields in front of almost zero spectators, of pitching to high school catchers or anyone else who could help out for a while.
Four hundred and twenty-two days to get back on the Major League mound.
It was worth it.
Matthew Boyd made his debut for the Guardians on Tuesday night in a 2-1 win over the Chicago Cubs. It was the first time the Guardians saw a new addition who could bolster the starting lineup down the stretch. For Boyd, it was the finish line of a painfully long rehab following Tommy John surgery last June.
It had been 422 days since Boyd had pitched in a major league game—not that he was counting the days or anything.
“I mean, I’m grateful. I’m grateful. I’m grateful to be part of this club,” Boyd said. “I feel really blessed to be here. Today was great. It was a milestone, but just the beginning, right? … The opportunity that’s here with this team and this ballclub is so special.”
Boyd is 33 years old. He is a nine-year major league veteran with 160 starts under his belt when he suffered the injury. And yet, when he took the mound Tuesday night after major surgery (which not all pitchers return from, although it is becoming more common) and an absence of more than a year, he felt like a rookie again, at least for one night.
“I was out there on the mound and I had a dry mouth and stuff in the first inning,” Boyd said. “I was nervous like I was (in my rookie debut), it felt similar. I think my wife told me last night when we were counting the days, it was 422 days since my last one. And every one of those days has been a blessing, right? I wouldn’t wish that on anyone, but man, so much good has come out of it, and it’s been special.”
Matthew Boyd delivers a good performance against Chicago Cubs after Tommy John surgery
And he didn’t just fill a spot in the rotation for a day – he delivered. Boyd was great, holding the Cubs to one run on three hits and managing six strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. Had it not been his first start of the year after rehab, he probably would have stayed in the game longer, but the Guardians didn’t want to put too much pressure on him.
“Oh, what a night for Matthew Boyd,” said manager Stephen Vogt. “Just the time he put into his rehab, just working on getting back, it must have felt so good for him to even get on the mound and then put on a performance like that when he first got back. Efficient hitting, just really, really good and I’m so happy for him and his family.”
Major League Reunion: Minor league teammates Stephen Vogt and Alex Cobb are now managers and players for the Guardians
Boyd spent parts of his rehab in an arm sling. Other times he threw to high school catchers. When the Guardians signed him – an attempt to avoid the difficult realities of the transfer market when it came to pitchers at the deadline – Boyd was able to throw with the Guardians’ minor league players.
It’s been a long road, and for Boyd, it’s just nice to be back. He was out of action for those 422 days, but he knew he wasn’t done yet.
“There will be a time and a place to watch baseball from the couch, but I don’t think that’s going to be anytime soon,” Boyd said. “I think I still have a lot ahead of me, and I was really grateful, as hard as those days were, in my heart I knew what was ahead of me, and that’s why that evening held a special place.”
Ryan Lewis can be reached at [email protected]. Read more about the Guardians at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/cleveland-guardians. Follow him on threads at @ByRyanLewis.
