This story was excerpted from Jordan Bastian¡¯s Cubs Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

CHICAGO -- The first time that Matthew Boyd puts on a Cubs uniform, he will have his grandfather on his mind. Memories have already started flooding back since the lefty signed a two-year deal to pitch for the North Siders.

During the Winter Meetings this week, Boyd chatted with reporters over Zoom and noted that his late grandpa, John Boyd, was a passionate Cubs fan. That added an extra layer to Boyd¡¯s decision to join the Cubs, following an impressive comeback tour with the Guardians last season.

¡°It¡¯s really something that¡¯s special to me,¡± Boyd said. ¡°The Cubs have always held a place in my heart, because my grandfather grew up in downtown Chicago and was a diehard Cubs fan. I think he was more excited about the Cubs¡¯ scores than my own performance some of the time.¡±

Boyd recalled how he had the chance to pitch in Wrigley Field six games into his rookie season with the Tigers on Aug. 19, 2015. The left-hander faced three batters in the eighth inning of a wild 15-8 win over the Cubs. Almost exactly nine years later, on Aug. 13, Boyd returned from Tommy John surgery and stymied Chicago for 5 1/3 innings in a 2-1 win for Cleveland.

That was the beginning of a strong finish to last season that included a 2.72 ERA with 46 strikeouts and 13 walks in 39 2/3 innings in eight outings for the Guardians. Boyd, 33, added three more appearances in the postseason, helping Cleveland reach the American League Championship Series.

¡°He fits well. He pitched great at the end of the season,¡± Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said. ¡°We saw him in his first start back, but he just kept building on that and threw well in the playoffs. All our pitch data on him was good and the makeup is exceptional. I feel like he¡¯s an arrow pointing up.¡±

Boyd steps into a rotation that features Shota Imanaga, Justin Steele, Jameson Taillon and Javier Assad, plus a group of younger arms behind them. Chicago will stay on the lookout for rotation depth this offseason, depending on how that market continues to play out over the next couple months.

A veteran of 10 Major League seasons, Boyd said he spent some of his down time last season watching Steele and Imanaga starts before he signed with Cleveland.

¡°I dove in on Shota and Steele¡¯s starts quite a bit,¡± Boyd said. ¡°Those were two lefties that I just loved watching them attack hitters. To be in a staff with them, along with Jameson and Javier, and there¡¯s a lot of other guys that are super talented, there¡¯s a ton of upside and I¡¯m excited to be a part of it.¡±

Boyd knows his grandfather -- who gave the pitcher plenty of Cubs-themed gifts throughout his youth -- would be thrilled to see him on the mound at Wrigley Field, too.

¡°I wish I could¡¯ve watched a game with him there,¡± Boyd said. ¡°But he¡¯s smiling somewhere right now. He¡¯ll be smiling this year.¡±