Cade Horton's Season Is Over Before It Started, and the Cubs' Pitching Just Got a Whole Lot Thinner
The Cubs' rotation just took a massive hit. Cade Horton, the 24-year-old right-hander who looked like an emerging ace, is done for 2026 after needing season-ending surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, manager Craig Counsell announced Tuesday. This is the kind of injury that derails seasons, and Chicago's pitching depth is about to get tested hard.
How This Happened
Horton left in the second inning of Friday's game in Cleveland after feeling discomfort while throwing a 93.8 mph fastball, slower than his normal stuff. The team initially called it a strained forearm and put him on the 15-day injured list Sunday. When he returned to Chicago to see team doctors Monday, the results were worse than anyone wanted: UCL damage that requires surgery. Horton was 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA and 4 strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings over his two starts this season before going down.
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👉 Claim Your Free $10 at KalshiFor context, this is the same guy who went 11-4 with a 2.67 ERA as a rookie last season. The Cubs were careful with him then, limiting his innings and pitch count especially down the stretch. Didn't matter. The injury happened anyway. And this isn't his first rodeo with the injury bug either. Horton had Tommy John surgery back in 2021, missed time in 2024 with a shoulder issue, and dealt with a rib injury during last year's playoffs.
What's Next for the Rotation
The Cubs have arms to throw at this problem, but not all of them are Horton-level talent. Javier Assad was called up to pitch Tuesday. Colin Rea, who started 27 games for the Cubs last season, is also in the mix. They also have Justin Steele, a left-hander who had elbow surgery last April. Steele should be throwing in minor league games by the end of the month and could be back in the majors by Memorial Day.
Meanwhile, left-hander Matthew Boyd got hurt too, landing on the injured list Monday with a left biceps strain. The Cubs have depth at pitcher, sure, but they don't have the production or the stuff that Horton brings to the mound. That's the real problem here.
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