The Chicago Cubs received gutting news on Cade Horton weeks into the 2026 campaign.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell announced on Tuesday that Horton will undergo season-ending surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. The team placed their promising young starting pitcher on the 15-day injured list Sunday after he left Friday's start early with discomfort.
The Cubs will attempt to make another playoff push without Horton, who finished second in last year's National League Rookie of the Year voting after posting a 2.67 ERA in 118 innings. It's the latest blow to a rotation that also placed veteran Matthew Boyd on the injured list with a left biceps strain on Monday.
Fans react to Horton's injury
Cubs fans didn't take the news about Horton well. They're crushed to see the 24-year-old sidelined after watching him dominate MLB opposition with a 1.03 ERA after last season's All-Star break.
"The worst fears have come true for Cade Horton," The Score's Chris Emma wrote. "The Cubs are without their budding ace and left wondering what his future holds. An absolutely devastating blow."
"Cade Horton done for the year," a Cubs fan wrote. "This is the exact opposite way the Chicago Cubs needed to start this season."
"Losing Cade Horton for the season is a huge loss," a fan wrote. "Don’t think the Cubs can recover from this."
"Season over," a fan said. "See yall in 2027."
What's next for Cubs
Ten games into the season, the Cubs already face a significant test to their pitching depth.
Shota Imanaga, Jameson Taillon, and offseason trade acquisition Edward Cabrera now lead a unit that lost Horton and Boyd. The Horton development may feel like deja vu for Cubs fans still waiting for Justin Steele to return after undergoing UCL surgery last April.
The Cubs will likely turn to Javier Assad and Colin Rea to fill out the starting staff. Javier has registered a 3.43 ERA in 331 innings, making him a far more appealing contingency plan than most MLB teams possess. The 28-year-old also doesn't miss many bats, generating a modest 15.0 strikeout percentage last season.
Rea opened the new season in Chicago's bullpen after recording a 3.95 ERA over 159.1 innings last year. The 35-year-old allowed one run over 3.1 innings when replacing Horton in the second inning of Friday's 4-1 loss to the Cleveland Guardians.
