Chicago Cubs pitcher Matthew Boyd will throw the first pitch of Tuesday’s wild card series opener, and it will mean the world to him for an important reason.

Boyd was named the Game 1 starter for the Cubs as they make their first postseason appearance since 2020, and as Chicago tries to win its first playoff game in eight years, Boyd can’t help but think of his family.

During his press conference Monday, Boyd was reminded of his grandfather, whom he said grew up in Chicago and was a big Cubs fan.

Fighting back tears, Boyd reflected on what seeing his grandson pitch on the mound at Wrigley Field in a playoff game would mean to him.

“I’m a sucker for this sort of thing, you know? It’s cool,” he said. “To get to think that I would have got this opportunity knowing everything about my grandfather growing up here, it’s cool, it’s cool stuff. He would be extremely happy.”

Boyd signed a two-year contract with the Cubs prior to the season, and he had one of the best seasons of his career, posting a 14-8 record and a 3.21 ERA in 31 starts with the North Siders. He struck out 154 batters in 179.2 innings, with a 2.6 WAR on the year.

Tuesday’s start against the Padres will mark the Cubs’ first postseason game since 2020, when they were swept by the Miami Marlins in the wild card round. The Cubs have not won a postseason game since Game 4 of the 2017 National League Championship Series at Wrigley Field, losing four consecutive playoff games in the years since.

Boyd has pitched in four playoff games, including three starts with the Cleveland Guardians last season. He yielded just one earned run in 11.2 innings, striking out 14 batters and walking six in those three appearances.

Now, as he prepares for his third postseason experience, including one-third of an inning with the Seattle Mariners, Boyd says the opportunity needs to be treasured.

“It’s cool because you never know when the opportunity presents itself. You know, I waited my first eight years to get the chance of a postseason. Didn’t really get to be a part of it on the field. I only threw one out. You never know when the opportunity is going to come again. To do it with the Cubs, to do it with this group, it will never be like this again,” he said.