Guardians, Key Pitcher Have Mutual Interest

The Cleveland Guardians and this key pitcher have mutual interest in a reunion next season.

Oct 17, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians pitcher Matthew Boyd (16) throws during the first inning against the New York Yankees in game 3 of the American League Championship Series at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images / David Dermer-Imagn Images

Perhaps one of the biggest surprises in a season full of them for the Cleveland Guardians was the performance of starting pitcher Matthew Boyd.

The Guardians signed Boyd in June in order to address their ailing starting rotation, but with Boyd not having pitched since 2023 due to Tommy John surgery, there were obviously major question marks.

However, the left-hander was a revelation for Cleveland, making eight starts and pitching to the tune of a 2.72 ERA while registering 46 strikeouts over 39.2 innings of work.

Boyd was also a reliable presence in the playoffs, logging a 0.77 ERA across three starts.

The 33-year-old is set to hit free agency this winter, but Zack Meisel of The Athletic has reported that there is "mutual interest" between Boyd and the Guardians.

That should come as no surprise given the fact that Cleveland's starting pitching remains an issue, so the Guardians need all the help they can get.

Of course, they should approach Boyd with caution.

While the veteran pitched very well in limited action this year, he owns a lifetime 4.85 ERA and 4.58 FIP. So, historically, he has been a back-end-of-the-rotation starter.

As long as Cleveland adds a couple of other arms, retaining Boyd would be just fine. But if the Guardians are planning on re-signing Boyd and simply hoping to get better 2025 returns from struggling hurlers liike Triston McKenzie and Logan Allen, that's another story.

Cleveland absolutely needs to make some moves to bolster its rotation, whether that be via trades, free agency or both.