Tarik Skubal helped Matthew Boyd recover from Tommy John. Now they face off in ALDS Game 2
CLEVELAND — This is a story about friendships and mentors, and injuries and comebacks, and gratitude and some seriously strange twists of fate — so, it’s your typical baseball story.
“I don't write the script,” Matthew Boyd said, “but the person who does is really good at it.”
Indeed.
Boyd, the former Detroit Tigers ace, was standing in front of his locker on Saturday afternoon in the Cleveland Guardians clubhouse, and his new teammates were celebrating a 7-0 victory over the Tigers in Game 1 of the ALDS at Progressive Field.
But here comes the next twist: Boyd will start Game 2 on Monday afternoon for the Guardians, while Tarik Skubal will take the mound for the Tigers.
“It's awesome,” Boyd said. “It's so cool. Baseball's awesome like that.”
There are just so many layers to this story that go beyond a single game. Boyd will be playing against the Tigers, the team he played on for eight seasons. But more than that, he’ll be going up against Skubal, the guy he mentored for years.
Oh, and something else incredibly important to know: Skubal helped Boyd recover from Tommy John surgery.
A great friend
But let’s start at the beginning.
Because it’s important to understand the context.
When Skubal was called up to the big leagues in August 2020 — in that strange COVID-19 season — Boyd took him to dinner. Just to make him feel welcome.
“He invited me over for my first dinner in the big leagues because it was COVID so we couldn't go out to dinner,” Skubal said Saturday. “And we probably weren't supposed to be in each other's rooms. He had dinner for us. He's a great mentor and leader. I'm still really close with him to this day. Him and his family are special people. It's going to be fun.”
Boyd was the old veteran pitcher in the Tigers clubhouse, and he became a mentor to Casey Mize and Skubal, giving them advice, especially when they were struggling.
“He was so good to us when we first got in the big leagues,” Mize, not on the ALDS roster, said Saturday. “He was really good to Tarik and I and a lot of the other guys. He's just a genuine human, a great dude, and made that transition a lot easier for us.”
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Cheerleaders for each other
Now, if this story ended there, it would be one thing.
But there are twists to come.
Boyd was pitching for the Tigers in 2023 when Skubal was going through rehab from flexor tendon surgery.
“He was rehabbing and seeing him go about his business in the weight room, seeing him throw his bullpens, you're going, 'Man, this is a time bomb,' ” Boyd said. “This guy's, he’s just waiting for his opportunity. And, you know, can't speak highly enough of him and what he's done.”
Then, another twist.
Boyd went down with an elbow injury that ended his season and had to get Tommy John.
Just like Mize in 2022, and Skubal in 2017 in college.
But Boyd did it the hard way. As a free agent.
Last winter, while trying to recover from the ligament replacement surgery, Boyd was a player without a team. He didn’t have teammates to lean on.
So, he turned to his old friends — Skubal and Mize.
“I leaned on them,” Boyd said.
Skubal and Mize helped Boyd through his recovery with countless phone calls and texts.
“Is this normal?” Boyd would ask.
“What you're feeling is normal,” Mize would say. “Just keep pushing forward. You're gonna feel better. You'll feel better in three hours.”
Mize and Skubal became cheerleaders for Boyd. Part of his support network.
“He means a lot to me,” Skubal said.
But when Boyd signed with Cleveland, Skubal shot him a text.
“Traitor,” Skubal said, drawing laughter.
As Boyd started pitching again, going through rehab starts, Skubal kept in touch with him.
“I actually watched a lot of his rehab starts, too, and texted him after those,” Skubal said, “just because the process is tough. Tommy John is a tough injury to have. Just more mentally than physically.”
As Skubal has put together a Cy Young-worthy season, Boyd has been a cheerleader for Skubal.
“He's texted me after good outings, after bad outings, always positive things,” Skubal said. “It's never like, 'Hey, you looked bad out there.' But always positive things. Yeah, I mean, he's such a good person. I can't say enough good things about that guy.”
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Friend to foe
So, that sets the stage for Monday.
It’s the Guardians vs. the Tigers.
Boyd vs. Skubal.
Mentor vs. mentee.
In an absolutely huge game for the Tigers.
“It’s kind of cool how God works, bringing this all together,” Boyd said. “So it's pretty cool.”
Boyd has no animosity toward the Tigers, just genuine appreciation. While he’ll be trying to beat his old team on Monday, he understands what this postseason appearance means for Detroit.
“I know how much it means to the team, the city and the organization, having lived the 100-loss seasons,” Boyd said “I'm so grateful for (Tigers owner) Chris Ilitch and the Tigers for giving me the opportunity and what they did for eight years. Detroit will always be a second home.”
But friendships only go so far.
For all of them.
“It'll be fun to watch him go play,” Skubal said. “But I'm going to be rooting against him pretty heavily.”
Mize agreed.
“It'll be weird, you know, but I look forward to seeing him, but I hope we — “ Mize said, trying to find the right words.
“Kick his butt?” I offered.
“Exactly,” Mize said.
Strong friendships — even those that go back years — only go so far in October baseball.