Counsell stands by short-rest Boyd after G1 flop
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Jesse Rogers
MILWAUKEE — The Chicago Cubs took a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 1 of their NLDS showdown on Saturday only to leave the inning about 20 minutes later down 6-1.
Most of the damage came against Cubs starter Matthew Boyd, who didn’t look sharp while pitching on three days’ rest, lasting just eight batters.
“It’s unfortunate it was such a big inning, but that was the difference in the game today,” Boyd said after the Brewers’ 9-3 victory.
Boyd, 34, left after an 11 pitch at-bat by Brewers center fielder Blake Perkins, who singled home Milwaukee’s fourth run of the game.
At that point, Cubs manager Craig Counsell had seen enough, pulling Boyd after 30 pitches, four hits and a walk. Boyd was eventually charged with six runs, but only two were earned after a Nico Hoerner error opened the inning up for the Brewers.
Asked afterward why he started Boyd on short rest, Counsell cited the fact he had thrown only 58 pitches in the Cubs’ Game 1 win over the San Diego Padres in the wild-card series and also “what he’s done all season, being our best starting pitcher.” The Cubs said they were thinking about giving Boyd the ball for NLDS opener not long after he came out of his start against the Padres. It might have backfired.
Over the past 30 postseasons, starting pitchers on three days of rest have a 4.50 ERA, according to ESPN Research.
“We picked Matt Boyd to pitch,” Counsell said when pressed about the decision. “I don’t know what to say. He pitched, it didn’t go well. We’ve got to make decisions. We went with Matt.
“We’re very comfortable — I was very comfortable — putting Matt Boyd on the mound today. The whole organization was comfortable putting Matt Boyd on the mound today.”
Coming into the game, Boyd had limited experience pitching on three days, compiling a 4.70 ERA in three career games before Saturday. Against the Brewers in Game 1, he posted some of his worst numbers of the season, including landing only 43 percent of his pitches in the strike zone, his lowest rate of the year. Boyd also induced a 60 percent swing rate by the Brewers, his second-highest rate of the season.
The Brewers weren’t fooled by anything he threw.
“The main thing we talked about [all week] is, promise me you’ll be ready for the first pitch,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said of his hitters. “When the bell rings, you’re ready. You’ve got to get your pitch, as they say, and Boyd was coming back on short rest. We hit some balls where they weren’t and we were ready, and I loved the at-bats early.”
Perkins added: “I’m kind of sitting there, too, like dang, how are we doing this sometimes? It’s a cool feeling, and it’s really fun to be a part of.”
The time off between the regular season and the postseason didn’t impact Milwaukee’s offense, though the time on the mound during the previous round seemingly impacted Boyd. He struggled down the stretch of the regular season as well, compiling a 5.31 ERA in September, by far his worst month of the season.
The Brewers added three more runs in the second inning, sending reliever Mike Soroka to the showers after a shortened outing, forcing former Brewer Aaron Civale to pick up the slack, pitching 4⅓ innings. It might be the only positive after an awful day for the Cubs: they saved their pen for another day.
“Aaron’s outing, really, really saved us,” Counsell said.
Game 2 is Monday night in Milwaukee.
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Jesse Rogers
MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Brewers centerfielder Jackson Chourio‘s status for Game 2 of the NLDS against the Chicago Cubs on Monday is uncertain after an MRI on his right hamstring came back inconclusive, according to manager Pat Murphy.
Chourio, 21, left Game 1 on Saturday after legging out an infield hit in the bottom of the second inning. It’s the same hamstring he injured in July — also while playing against the Cubs — putting his immediate playing future in doubt.
“I can’t give you a definitive, but I know that we’re going to test some things today,” Murphy said on Sunday afternoon. “He’s going to be out there today. I don’t know that he’ll do much, but the MRI came back and it’s inconclusive and it’s not a serious hamstring strain, but it’s not necessarily something that won’t limit him.”
Chourio was 3 for 3 in the game before leaving. Murphy indicated rookie Isaac Collins would likely take Chourio’s place in the lineup if the latter player can’t go.
The Brewers manager also announced lefty Aaron Ashby will start Game 2 for his team, though he probably won’t last long after throwing 1⅓ innings on Saturday. He’s likely opening the game to help neutralize Cubs leadoff man Michael Busch — also a lefty — who homered to start Game 1.
“He could go as long as we want him to,” Murphy said of Ashby.
Righty Quinn Priester is likely the bulk innings guy for the Brewers after Ashby, but Murphy stopped short of declaring his plans. The Cubs are countering with lefty Shota Imanaga, who pitched in Game 2 of the wild-card round against the San Diego Padres.
“He’s a competitor,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “And I think he’s a thinking-man’s competitor, and he also pitches with a lot of joy on the mound, while competing at a really high level.”
Imanaga has a 5.73 ERA in four career games against the Brewers, including three starts this season.
“I think all the hitters, they understand what they need to do, and I think that’s the Brewers’ offense,” Imanaga said of his struggles against Milwaukee. “Even yesterday, just the next guy was up, the next guy was ready. So I think, for me, it’s just making sure, take it one out at a time, and then thinking about that one out.”
Murphy was asked about facing the second-year Cub who features a rising fastball and a sinking splitter.
“His heater plays way up,” Murphy said. “If it says 91, the hitter sees it as 95 to 96.”
Milwaukee won Game 1 in a route, 9-3.
The latest AP poll is out. Most ranked teams held steady. The Ohio State Buckeyes stayed atop the poll after a convincing win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers, and the Miami Hurricanes bolstered their résumé with a win over the Florida State Seminoles. But both the No. 7 Penn State Nittany Lions and then No. 9 Texas Longhorns were stunned by unranked opponents. (UCLA and Florida, respectively.)
What does it all mean for the AP Top 25? Let’s break down the rankings.
Stats courtesy of ESPN Research.
All times Eastern.
Previous ranking: 1
2025 record: 5-0
Week 6 result: Defeated Minnesota 42-3
Stat to know: Ohio State has allowed 25 total points this season. That is the fewest points allowed through five games by a Big Ten team since 1985 Michigan.
What’s next: Saturday at Illinois, noon, Fox
Previous ranking: 3
2025 record: 5-0
Week 6 result: Defeated Florida State 28-22
Stat to know: Miami has three straight wins against AP-ranked opponents within a season for the first time since 2004.
What’s next: Oct. 17 vs. Louisville, 7 p.m.
Previous ranking: 2
2025 record: 5-0
Week 6 result: Idle
What’s next: Saturday vs. Indiana, 3:30 p.m., CBS
Previous ranking: 4
2025 record: 5-0
Week 6 result: Idle
What’s next: Saturday vs. Washington State, 12:45 p.m., SEC Network
Previous ranking: 6
2025 record: 5-0
Week 6 result: Defeated Mississippi State 31-9
Stat to know: This is Texas A&M’s first 5-0 start since 2016.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Florida, 7 p.m., ESPN
Previous ranking: 5
2025 record: 5-0
Week 6 result: Defeated Kent State 44-0
Stat to know: This was Oklahoma’s first shutout since its 2023 win over Arkansas State.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Texas (in Dallas), 3:30 p.m., ABC
Previous ranking: 8
2025 record: 5-0
Week 6 result: Idle
What’s next: Saturday at Oregon, 3:30 p.m., CBS
Previous ranking: 10
2025 record: 4-1
Week 6 result: Defeated Vanderbilt 30-14
Stat to know: Kalen DeBoer is now 13-2 in matchups between two ranked teams.
What’s next: Saturday at Missouri, noon, ABC
Previous ranking: 11
2025 record: 5-0
Week 6 result: Defeated Houston 35-11
Stat to know: Texas Tech has now won five straight games by 20-plus points for first time since 1953-54.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Kansas, 7:30 p.m., Fox
Previous ranking: 12
2025 record: 4-1
Week 6 result: Defeated Kentucky 35-14
Stat to know: Georgia has a 16-game win streak against Kentucky.
What’s next: Saturday at Auburn, 7:30 p.m., ABC
Previous ranking: 13
2025 record: 4-1
Week 6 result: Idle
What’s next: Saturday vs. South Carolina, 7:45 p.m., SEC Network
Previous ranking: 15
2025 record: 4-1
Week 6 result: Idle
What’s next: Saturday vs. Arkansas, 4:15 p.m., SEC Network
Previous ranking: 17
2025 record: 5-0
Week 6 result: Idle
What’s next: Saturday vs. Virginia Tech, 3:30 p.m., ACC Network
Previous ranking: 19
2025 record: 5-0
Week 6 result: Idle
What’s next: Saturday vs. Alabama, noon, ABC
Previous ranking: 20
2025 record: 4-1
Week 6 result: Defeated Wisconsin 24-10
Stat to know: Michigan has now won consecutive games against Wisconsin for the first time since 2002.
What’s next: Saturday at USC, 7:30 p.m., NBC
Previous ranking: 21
2025 record: 3-2
Week 6 result: Defeated Boise State 28-7
Stat to know: Against Boise State, Notre Dame had four interceptions in a game for the first time since 2023.
What’s next: Saturday vs. NC State, 3:30 p.m., Peacock
Previous ranking: 22
2025 record: 5-1
Week 6 result: Defeated Purdue 42-27
Stat to know: Illinois has now won consecutive games against Purdue for the first time since 2001-02.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Ohio State, noon, Fox
Previous ranking: 23
2025 record: 5-0
Week 6 result: Defeated West Virginia 38-24
Stat to know: BYU has started 5-0 for the sixth time in program history.
What’s next: Saturday at Arizona, 8 p.m., ESPN2
Previous ranking: 24
2025 record: 5-1
Week 6 result: Defeated Louisville 30-27 (OT)
Stat to know: The win over Louisville is Virginia’s second straight overtime win. Virginia had never won multiple overtime games in a season prior to 2025.
What’s next: Oct. 18 vs. Washington State, 6:30 p.m., The CW
Previous ranking: 16
2025 record: 5-1
Week 6 result: Lost to Alabama 30-14
Stat to know: The loss to Alabama was Vanderbilt’s first game with two red zone turnovers since 2015.
What’s next: Oct. 18 vs. LSU
Previous ranking: 25
2025 record: 4-1
Week 6 result: Idle
What’s next: Saturday at Utah, 10:15 p.m., ESPN
Previous ranking: 14
2025 record: 4-1
Week 6 result: Lost to Cincinnati 38-30
Stat to know: The loss to Cincinnati snaps a five-game conference play win streak dating back to last season.
What’s next: Saturday at Colorado, 3:30 p.m., ESPN
Previous ranking: NR
2025 record: 6-0
Week 6 result: Defeated Tulsa 45-7
Stat to know: Memphis is on a 10-game win streak, the longest active streak in FBS.
What’s next: October 18 at UAB
Previous ranking: NR
2025 record: 4-1
Week 6 result: Defeated Charlotte 54-26
Stat to know: South Florida has won four of its first five games for the first time since 2018.
What’s next: Friday at North Texas, 7:30 p.m., ESPN2
Previous ranking: 18
2025 record: 3-2
Week 6 result: Lost to Miami 28-22
Stat to know: Florida State outscored Miami 19-0 in the fourth quarter
What’s next: Saturday vs. Pitt, noon, ESPN
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