History of Matthew Boyd (baseball) in Timeline

Matthew Boyd is an American professional baseball pitcher currently playing for the Chicago Cubs in MLB. Before joining the Cubs, he played for the Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners, Detroit Tigers, and Cleveland Guardians. His career highlights include his time as a starting pitcher for the Tigers where he showcased moments of dominance, establishing himself as a reliable pitcher. He has bounced around in recent years but continues to pitch in MLB.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

1908: Tigers Pitcher Strikeout Record in 1908

In 1908, Matthew Boyd became the first Tigers pitcher since 1908 to start the season with consecutive double-digit strikeout games.

1972: Strikeout record in 1972

In 1972, Mickey Lolich struck out 156 before the All-Star break.

1974: First Left-Handed Tiger to Top 200 Strikeouts since 1974

In 1974, Mickey Lolich topped 200 strikeouts, and on August 18, 2019, Matthew Boyd became the first left-handed Tiger pitcher to top 200 strikeouts since Mickey Lolich in 1974.

February 2, 1991: Matthew Boyd's Birth

On February 2, 1991, Matthew Robert Boyd was born. He is an American professional baseball pitcher.

2011: Summer Baseball with Orleans Firebirds

In 2011, Matthew Boyd played collegiate summer baseball with the Orleans Firebirds of the Cape Cod Baseball League.

2012: All-Star and Draft

In 2012, Matthew Boyd was named an all-star in the Cape Cod Baseball League while playing for the Orleans Firebirds. He was also selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the Major League Baseball draft, but he did not sign with them.

2013: Minor League Assignments in 2013

In 2013, Matthew Boyd started with the Class-A Lansing Lugnuts and then was promoted to the Advanced-A Dunedin Blue Jays.

2013: Drafted by the Blue Jays

In 2013, Matthew Boyd was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the sixth round of the MLB draft after playing college baseball for Oregon State University.

2013: Signing Bonus

In 2013, after being drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays, Matthew Boyd signed with the team and received a $75,000 signing bonus.

August 2014: Most Strikeouts

In August 2014, Max Scherzer recorded 14 strikeouts.

2014: Promotion to Double-A in 2014

In 2014, Matthew Boyd pitched for Dunedin and then earned a promotion to the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats.

June 2015: Promotion to Triple-A and Start with Buffalo Bisons in June 2015

In June 2015, Matthew Boyd was promoted to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons and made his first start on June 14 against the Charlotte Knights.

June 26, 2015: Called up to Blue Jays

On June 26, 2015, Matthew Boyd was called up by the Toronto Blue Jays to start against the Texas Rangers, tying a franchise record for strikeouts in a debut.

July 30, 2015: Trade to Detroit Tigers

On July 30, 2015, Matthew Boyd, along with Daniel Norris and Jairo Labourt, was traded by the Toronto Blue Jays to the Detroit Tigers in exchange for David Price.

2015: MLB Debut and Trade to Detroit

In 2015, Matthew Boyd made his Major League Baseball debut with the Toronto Blue Jays, and later during the same season, he was traded to the Detroit Tigers.

2015: Playoff Share Funds

In 2015, despite having pitched for the Blue Jays, Matthew Boyd was not awarded any money from the playoff share funds, unlike other players with minimal contributions.

March 30, 2016: Optioned to Toledo Mud Hens

On March 30, 2016, Matthew Boyd was optioned to the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens.

2016: First Pitcher to Top 200 Strikeouts since 2016

In 2016, Justin Verlander topped 200 strikeouts, and on August 18, 2019, Matthew Boyd became the first Tiger pitcher to top 200 strikeouts since Justin Verlander in 2016.

2016: Sinker Usage in 2016

In 2016, Matthew Boyd threw more sinkers than any other offspeed pitch, but it proved to be the most hittable of all his pitches.

June 2, 2017: Optioned to Toledo Mud Hens in 2017

On June 2, 2017, Matthew Boyd was optioned to the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens after posting a 2-5 record with a 5.69 ERA.

2017: Reduced Sinker Usage in 2017

In 2017, Matthew Boyd threw the sinker less due to its poor performance in the previous year.

2018: Rare Sinker Usage in 2018

In 2018, Matthew Boyd rarely threw the sinker at all.

January 11, 2019: Avoided Arbitration

On January 11, 2019, Matthew Boyd and the Detroit Tigers avoided arbitration, agreeing on a one-year, $2.6 million contract.

January 10, 2020: Avoided Arbitration

On January 10, 2020, Matthew Boyd and the Detroit Tigers avoided arbitration, agreeing on a one-year, $5.3 million contract.

2020: League-Worst ERA in 2020

In 2020, Matthew Boyd had a challenging season, with a league-worst 6.71 ERA and other unfavorable statistics in the American League.

2020: Slider Effectiveness Through 2020

Through 2020, Matthew Boyd's slider has been his most effective offspeed pitch.

January 15, 2021: Avoided Arbitration and Contract Agreement

On January 15, 2021, Matthew Boyd and the Detroit Tigers avoided arbitration, agreeing to a one-year, $6.5 million contract.

November 2021: Expecting Twins in November 2021

In November 2021, Matthew Boyd and his wife Ashley were expecting twins.

November 30, 2021: Non-Tendered by Tigers

On November 30, 2021, the Detroit Tigers non-tendered Matthew Boyd, making him a free agent.

2021: Played for the Tigers through 2021

Matthew Boyd continued to play for the Detroit Tigers through the 2021 season.

March 20, 2022: Deal with San Francisco Giants

On March 20, 2022, Matthew Boyd finalized a one-year contract with the San Francisco Giants worth $5.2 million, including potential incentive bonuses.

August 2, 2022: Traded to Seattle Mariners

On August 2, 2022, Matthew Boyd and Curt Casali were traded to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for Michael Stryffeler and Andy Thomas.

December 14, 2022: Return to Detroit Tigers

On December 14, 2022, Matthew Boyd signed a one-year contract to return to the Detroit Tigers, with a base salary of $10 million and additional performance-based bonuses.

2022: Plays for Seattle in 2022

In 2022, Matthew Boyd played for the Seattle Mariners.

June 26, 2023: Departure from Start Due to Elbow Discomfort

On June 26, 2023, Matthew Boyd left a start against the Texas Rangers due to left elbow discomfort.

June 29, 2024: Signed with Cleveland Guardians

On June 29, 2024, Matthew Boyd signed a one-year major league contract with the Cleveland Guardians and was placed on the 15-day injured list while recovering from elbow surgery.