Former lefty with the Tigers getting ready to return in 2024
DETROIT — Former Detroit Tigers pitcher Matthew Boyd is planning a return later this year.
According to the New York Post, Boyd held a showcase for scouts in California on Friday as he nears the one-year mark since his Tommy John surgery.
Boyd’s second tenure with the Tigers ended on June 26, when he exited his start in the first inning due to elbow pain. The next day, the Tigers announced that Boyd had a partial sprain of his ulnar collateral ligament and opted for UCL reconstruction surgery, commonly known as Tommy John surgery. The recovery time is typically at least 12 months, so Boyd is aiming for a return to pitching late in the 2024 season.
Boyd, 33, made 143 starts for the Tigers from 2015 to 2021, becoming one of the team’s most prominent players during their rebuilding phase.
After being non-tendered by the Tigers following the 2021 season, Boyd spent 2022 with two different teams, pitching late in the season with the Seattle Mariners after recovering from injury.
He signed a one-year, $10 million contract to return to the Tigers before the 2023 season and made 15 starts before his injury, recording a 5-5 record with a 5.45 ERA over 71 innings, with 73 strikeouts and 25 walks.