The Chicago Cubs entered the 2025 NLDS against the Milwaukee Brewers riding momentum from their Wild Card Series win over the San Diego Padres, but manager Craig Counsell’s decision to start Matthew Boyd in Game 1 quickly became the story of the night. Counsell’s explanation for turning to Boyd on short rest went viral as Chicago’s hopes for a strong series opener unraveled early at American Family Field.
The 34-year-old veteran started Game 1 of the Cubs vs. Padres Wild Card Series just days earlier, throwing only 58 pitches in a Chicago win. ESPN’s Jesse Rogers posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, the conversation he had with the Cubs manager before the NLDS opener about the decision to start the southpaw on short rest. The Cubs manager explained his thought process.
“If (Game 1 on Tues) was a normal start and he threw 90 pitches, we wouldn't consider this, but because he threw so few pitches, we knew he was going to be able to recover, and we thought he'd be able to recover quickly.”
That confidence backfired almost immediately. Boyd allowed six runs, two earned, on four hits and a walk while recording just two outs in the bottom of the first inning, posting a 27.00 ERA before being pulled for Mike Soroka. The disastrous start negated Michael Busch’s historic leadoff home run in the top of the inning, which had given the club an early 1-0 lead and echoed Dexter Fowler’s iconic 2016 World Series shot.
The pitching decision by Counsell drew immediate backlash online. Rogers’ post gained over 36,000 views as fans criticized the manager's choice, pointing out that Boyd had allowed 15 earned runs in 11 innings against the Brewers during the regular season. Many questioned why Javier Assad or Colin Rea weren't used instead of a short-rest gamble.
For the Cubs, Game 1 has already shifted the tone of the series. The top-seeded Brewers, who finished with MLB’s best regular-season record at 97-65, grabbed early momentum. Now the Cubs must stabilize their rotation and manage a taxed bullpen following the early damage.
