All those hours and days of working in the weight room, working with trainers to come back from Tommy John surgery when his body screamed “stop!” but his mind said “Keep going!” are about to pay off for Matthew Boyd. Boyd will get the start for the Guardians on Oct. 7 in Game 2 of the ALDS, knowing his team has a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series with the Detroit Tigers — Boyd’s former team. Boyd will be opposed by his good friend, Tarik Skubal, who also is the Tigers’ ace and the leading candidate to win the American League Cy Young Award after posting an 18-4 record with a 2.39 ERA and 228 strikeouts to lead the American League in all three categories. Boyd’s record (2-2) is modest compared to that of Skubal. But Boyd was a man without a team until the Guardians signed him on June 29, one year after he had elbow surgery while with the Tigers. The Guardians signed Boyd knowing he would not be ready to pitch until August. He made his first of eight starts for the Guards on Aug. 13 and came away with mixed results. He lasted just 2 2/3 innings against the Twins on Sept. 16 and got a no-decision in a 4-3 loss. He lasted four innings against the Cardinals on Sept. 21 in his most recent start, and though he gave up only two runs, he was tagged with the loss. “Skub is a good friend,” Boyd said in the clubhouse after the Guardians beat the Tigers in Game 1 on Oct. 5. “I really leaned on him and Casey (Tigers pitcher Casey Mize) in this rehab process when I was without a team and without a clubhouse of guys to talk to. I’m so happy for him and everything he accomplished this season. It will be fun to toe it up opposite him.” Skubal held a news conference on Oct. 5 before Game 1. He was a rookie in 2020, which happened to be the year there was no minor league baseball and the MLB season was shortened to 60 games because of COVID-19. Players were under strict orders not to go to restaurants for fear of coming in close contact with someone who might have COVID. “(Boyd) invited me over for my first dinner in the big leagues because it was COVID, so we couldn’t go out to dinner,” Skubal said. “We probably weren’t supposed to be in each other’s rooms. He had dinner for us. He’s a great mentor and leader. I’m still really close with him to this day. Him and his family are special people. “I think my first text to him (after Boyd signed with the Guardians) said he was a traitor for signing within the division. But now we’re on this stage. So I think that’s pretty special. It’ll be fun to watch him go play. But I’m going to be rooting against him pretty heavily.” The Indians and now the Guardians always catch flack for not making splash moves at the trade deadline. This year, President of Baseball Operations Chris Antonetti signed Boyd at the end of June and then at the deadline acquired pitcher Alex Cobb from the Giants and outfielder Lane Thomas from the Nationals. Thomas started slowly with his new team, but had the big blow in Game 1 with a three-run homer in the bottom of the first inning to propel the Guardians to a 7-0 victory. Now Boyd is getting his chance to shine in the playoffs. “I think what Matthew has brought is just consistency,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said after Game 1. “He’s been the same every time out. He’s attacked the zone. He’s got really good stuff, able to keep them off balance and really stabilized our rotation when we got him back healthy. “So excited for Matt. He’s had a long road of recovery to get to this point and been great for us the last couple months. So really excited to see him take the ball in Game 2.” Cobb might get his opportunity as the Game 3 starter Oct. 9 in Detroit. Guardians starting pitcher Matthew Boyd delivers to the Dodgers on Sept. 6. (Ashley Landis – The Associated Press) Tigers at Guardians What: ALDS, Game 2; Guardians lead, 1-0 When: 4:08 p.m., Oct. 7 Where: Progressive Field Pitchers: Tigers — Tarik Skubal (1-0, 0.00 postseason;) Guardians — Matthew Boyd TV: TBS Radio: WTAM AM-1100, WMMS-FM 100.7, WARF-AM 1350