Chicago Cubs righty Cade Horton, last year’s NL Rookie of the Year runner-up, will undergo elbow surgery and miss the rest of the 2026 season, manager Craig Counsell stated Tuesday (via The Athletic). Horton, who was placed on the IL on Sunday, exited Friday afternoon’s start against the Cleveland Guardians (CLE 4, CHC 1) in the second inning after calling for a trainer.
Horton’s velocity was consistently in the 95-96 mph range in the first inning, which is right where he usually sits. His velocity then dropped suddenly in the second inning, and he pulled himself from the game. The Marquee Sports broadcast stated Horton had tears in his eyes as he headed to the clubhouse. Here is his final pitch and exit:
Horton, 24, was the No. 7 pick in the 2022 Draft. He had Tommy John surgery as a freshman at Oklahoma in February 2021.
Pitcher Riley Martin, a 28-year-old lefty taken in the sixth round of the 2021 Draft, was called up Sunday to take Horton’s roster spot.
What’s next for Chicago’s rotation?
Horton is one of Chicago’s most important players as a starter with frontline potential. He threw 118 innings with a 2.84 ERA last season and was very good in his 2026 debut last week, holding the Washington Nationals to two runs in 6 ⅓ innings. The Cubs have good rotation depth, though few starters that have a chance to dominate like Horton.
Chicago’s rotation depth chart currently looks like this:
LHP Justin Steele (rehabbing from UCL surgery)RHP Cade Horton (elbow surgery)- RHP Edward Cabrera
LHP Matthew Boyd (biceps strain)- LHP Shota Imanaga
- RHP Jameson Taillon
- RHP Colin Rea
- RHP Javier Assad (currently in Triple-A)
Rea replaced Horton on Friday and threw 57 pitches across 3 ⅓ innings. He made 27 starts last year with a 3.95 ERA and could step into Horton’s rotation spot. Assad has been more of a swingman type the last few years than a full-time starter.
Steele is expected back from last April’s UCL surgery in the coming weeks. He had the internal brace procedure, not full-blown Tommy John surgery, which reduces the rehab time a bit. Steele’s return will boost the starting staff, though the best version of the Cubs has Steele joining Cabrera and Horton in the rotation, not replacing one of them.
