An old Carson Kelly-Matthew Boyd connection shows new chemistry building within Cubs

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An old connection between left-handed pitcher Matthew Boyd and catcher Carson Kelly is an example of the new chemistry quickly building within the Chicago Cubs, a first-place team with a deep sense of gratitude, curiosity and determination.

Boyd’s friendly, outgoing personality once made him a natural host whenever the Oregon State coaching staff wanted to close the deal with a prized college recruit. Boyd’s off-campus house served as a hub for the baseball team — future first-round pick Michael Conforto lived next door — and the group made sure to show Kelly a good time.

Baseball is a small world, where players’ paths intersect and diverge over the years, especially in the Pacific Northwest. Boyd grew up in Mercer Island, Wash., before joining an Oregon State program that had won back-to-back College World Series titles in 2006 and 2007. Landing Kelly, a potential in-state recruit from Portland, was viewed as a top priority.

As they wound up separately pursuing their careers — Kelly signed with the St. Louis Cardinals as a second-round pick in the 2012 draft — that swing and a miss became a running joke.

“Every time I saw him, I gave him a hard time,” Boyd said. “You’re the one that got away.”

The Cubs reconnected Boyd and Kelly last offseason, which was defined by a blockbuster trade for Kyle Tucker and several measured moves to improve an 83-win club. Though not the splashiest additions, those two free agents have already had a big impact, posting strong numbers while adding to the team’s competitiveness and clubhouse culture of preparation.

Cruise the bases, Cars. pic.twitter.com/EBksVa76Df

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) May 6, 2025

Boyd, 34, doesn’t take this for granted. His two-year, $29 million deal came together at the end of Thanksgiving weekend, the reward for his perseverance in coming back from Tommy John surgery, and a standout performance during the Cleveland Guardians’ playoff run.

That momentum has carried over into this season, with Boyd (4-2, 2.98 ERA) allowing three earned runs or fewer in each of his nine starts as a Cub. With All-Star pitchers Shota Imanaga and Justin Steele on the injured list, that consistency is vital.

“He’s the same exact person — super kind, generous,” Kelly said of the player he shadowed at Oregon State. “It’s kind of funny to see it come full circle.”

By the Winter Meetings, Kelly’s two-year, $11.5 million contract with the Cubs was being finalized. A gifted shortstop and pitcher in high school, he had chosen Oregon over Oregon State before the Cardinals bought out his college commitment with a $1.6 million signing bonus. Given his size, arm strength and leadership qualities, the Cardinals converted him into a catcher.

Instead of anointing Kelly as Yadier Molina’s replacement, the Cardinals packaged Kelly in the Paul Goldschmidt trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks after the 2018 season. When healthy, Kelly established himself as a solid two-way catcher, but injuries made it difficult to sustain year-over-year growth.

Crossing paths again, Kelly and Boyd overlapped with the Detroit Tigers during the 2023 season. Boyd was recovering from a Tommy John procedure when the Tigers snapped up Kelly, who had been released by the Diamondbacks. Boyd listened to Kelly explain the process behind the mechanical changes to his stance and his swing.

That overhaul has led to a stunning offensive surge from Kelly, who has a 1.025 OPS, eight home runs, 21 walks and 23 RBIs through his first 29 games with the Cubs.

“Justin Verlander told this to me: ‘You have to adapt or you get pushed out,’” Boyd said. “That’s scary for players, right? Because you do something your whole life. And then when you don’t have success, whether it’s because of a physical thing that gets in the way or whatnot, there comes this point when you have to look at yourself honestly and make that change. It takes a lot of courage to be able to step out and do that.

“He was flipping over every stone: ‘How can I become a better hitter?’ It takes courage to try new things when you’re 30 years old or in your late 20s, and then say, ‘OK, now I’m going to take this to the highest level, the pinnacle of what we do.’ Not only go do it, but commit to it. It’s really cool to see the success that he’s having. It couldn’t happen to a better person.”

The Cubs represented a kind of homecoming for Kelly, who was born in Chicago before moving to Oregon, where his father carved out a career as a Nike marketing executive based out of the company’s Beaverton headquarters.

In signing with the Cardinals out of high school, Kelly promised his parents, Mike and Traci, that he would get a college degree. “The reality is baseball is a very tough business,” Kelly said. “You’re a former player a lot longer than you are a current player.”

As it turned out, Boyd was a pretty good recruiter. Kelly found a good online program through Oregon State and began his coursework in the fall of 2012. He majored in economics and loaded up on classes during the offseasons, earning a degree without spending much time in Corvallis.

“I did all 180 credits online,” Kelly said. “Never stepped one foot in class.”

(Photo of Carson Kelly and Matthew Boyd: Darren Yamashita / Imagn Images)

This news was originally published on this post .

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