The Chicago Cubs' pitching staff has taken another hit, but this time it came from an unexpected source: a backyard game of catch.

Left-hander Matthew Boyd underwent surgery Thursday to repair a partial meniscus tear in his left knee—an injury he suffered not on the mound, but while playing with his children. Cubs manager Craig Counsell confirmed the news before Friday's series opener against the Cincinnati Reds, estimating a recovery timeline of roughly six weeks.

"It's the minor meniscus surgery, so we know he's going to miss a month, six weeks," Counsell said. "Probably closer to six weeks with getting it ramped back up. The knee is going to recover pretty quickly, but how much throwing down time do we have to take? That's the biggest thing."

For a 35-year-old veteran who signed with Chicago looking to stabilize the rotation, this setback is a frustrating twist. Boyd had been off to a solid start, posting a 2-1 record with a 6.00 ERA across his first few outings. Now, he joins a crowded Cubs injured list that already includes starters Cade Horton (elbow, out for the season), Justin Steele (elbow, expected back in the second half), and Jordan Wicks.

The timing couldn't be worse. Boyd was scheduled to start Friday against the Texas Rangers, leaving Counsell scrambling to fill the void. Javier Assad and Ben Brown are both in the mix to step into the rotation, but neither is fully stretched out as a starter.

"We're just trying to think about the innings puzzle moving forward," Counsell explained. "You always have to play that game: What do we do if something else happens? We don't have anybody completely stretched out as a starter right now. We'll just have to put that together."

To shore up the bullpen in the meantime, the Cubs recalled reliever Trent Thornton from Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday and swapped arms again Thursday, bringing up Gavin Hollowell while designating Corbin Martin for assignment. Martin had allowed three runs in his most recent appearance.

For Cubs fans, this is yet another reminder that in baseball, the biggest threats sometimes come from the most unexpected places—even a simple game of catch in the backyard.