Kyle Tucker was the Cubs’ most eye-catching and important offseason acquisition.
Fellow first-year Cubs Matthew Boyd and Carson Kelly also have meaningful roles, and they fulfilled them again Saturday.
Boyd threw six scoreless innings, Kelly hit a home run and drove in four runs, Dansby Swanson also homered and the Cubs won their fifth straight by beating the Padres 7-1 in front of an announced crowd of 35,391. Boyd has begun his Cubs career with 11 scoreless innings, and Saturday was especially meaningful for the left-hander.
Boyd’s grandfather (who died in 2019) grew up in Chicago and was a passionate Cubs fan.