The Chicago Cubs' pitching depth has taken another unexpected hit, and this time the injury is as unusual as it is unfortunate.

Left-hander Matthew Boyd is set to undergo surgery on his left knee after tearing his meniscus—not on the mound, but while playing with his kids. Manager Craig Counsell confirmed the news Wednesday, adding a bizarre chapter to baseball's long history of off-field mishaps.

Boyd now joins an infamous club of players injured in peculiar ways: Francisco Liriano breaking his arm trying to scare his kids at Christmas, Jeremy Affeldt slicing his hand open on frozen hamburger patties, Sammy Sosa's violent sneeze, and Glenallen Hill's spider-induced panic attack. For Cubs fans, this one stings a little more.

While Boyd hasn't been dominant this season—posting a 6.00 ERA and 1.29 WHIP over 24 innings—the real concern is what this means for the team's rotation depth. The Cubs entered the year with eight viable starting pitchers, a luxury that has quickly evaporated. Cade Horton is already out for the season, and Justin Steele's return from Tommy John surgery has hit another snag. Now, with Boyd sidelined, the rotation is down to just five healthy options.

That group now consists of Shota Imanaga, Edward Cabrera, Jameson Taillon, Colin Rea, and Javier Assad. Ben Brown remains too valuable in his bullpen role to shift back to starting, and top minor-league prospect Jaxon Wiggins is also dealing with an injury.

Despite these setbacks, the Cubs have managed to stay afloat. Their rotation ranks ninth in MLB with a 3.90 ERA, and the team entered Wednesday with a 24-12 record—tied for the second-best start in franchise history, trailing only the 2016 World Series champions. They hold a 2.5-game lead in the NL Central, but with the pitching staff now stretched thin, every start will matter more than ever.