BALTIMORE — The Chicago Cubs’ final trip before the All-Star break is starting in a delay.
After a discussion with Major League Baseball and the National Weather Service, a determination was made that rain in the area would affect the start of the Cubs’ series opener against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards, delaying Tuesday’s game.
Left-hander Matthew Boyd is scheduled to make his penultimate start of the first half, looking to get rolling after injuries limited him to seven starts entering Tuesday. The 35-year-old is coming off a win June 30 against the San Diego Padres in which he allowed three runs and eight hits in five-plus innings with no walks.
Boyd came off the injured list before his June 25 start after missing seven weeks following a meniscectomy in his left knee. He also missed two weeks in early April because of a biceps strain. The two IL stints have limited him to 33 2/3 innings this season.
“A lot of what a pitcher needs, like Matt needs, is he needs to get on that consistent routine and to be on the pitch, bullpen, pitch,” manager Craig Counsell said pregame Tuesday, “not the injured mode where you’re rehabbing and protecting and you’ve got to limit things. So I think we’re back to that place.
“It’ll get Matt in a good place in terms of making himself more consistent and execution improving, things like that. So I think we’re in a good spot. He’s had two good outings to start this, and hopefully as we’re getting into this now, we’re in a kind of normal season mode from Matt.”