{"id":662911,"date":"2026-04-04T15:11:17","date_gmt":"2026-04-04T15:11:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/662911\/"},"modified":"2026-04-04T15:11:17","modified_gmt":"2026-04-04T15:11:17","slug":"cubs-make-major-cade-horton-injury-announcement-after-exit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/662911\/","title":{"rendered":"Cubs Make Major Cade Horton Injury Announcement After Exit"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\"Cade\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGetty\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Cubs former first-round draft pick Cade Horton exited Friday\u2019s game early. Today, the team made an announcement about his injury.\n<\/p>\n

Cade Horton<\/a> exited early Friday with right forearm discomfort, and the Cubs<\/a> quickly made a major injury announcement after the sudden in-game scare. The right-handed Horton, last year\u2019s National League Rookie of the Year runner-up<\/a>, exited the game in Cleveland after throwing just 17 pitches. The news that follows his scheduled imaging Monday could be far grimmer than the club is letting on right now.<\/p>\n

Just hours after the game, a 4-1 defeat to the Guardians<\/a>, the Cubs announced that Horton was immediately headed for the 15-day injured list, and back to Chicago for imaging on his right arm, according to Cubs correspondent<\/a> Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic.<\/p>\n

\u201cEarly talk has some optimism,\u201d Sharma reported. \u201cHorton said it started in his wrist then got tight in his forearm, so he wanted to be proactive and not push it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\"\"\/<\/a><\/p>\n

How Did Horton Describe His Injury?<\/p>\n

The 24-year-old Horton left Friday\u2019s start against the Guardians<\/a> in the second inning, calling for the trainer after a fastball to Bo Naylor<\/a> that clocked in at just 93.8 mph. That was the red flag. Per MLB.com<\/a>, Horton had been sitting 95.5 to 96.5 mph in the first inning \u2014 meaning his velocity fell off in real time. The Cubs officially described the injury to their 2022 first-round draft pick as right forearm discomfort.<\/p>\n

Horton himself described what he felt in postgame comments. \u201cI had some tightness in my wrist and as the game went on, it went into my forearm,\u201d<\/a> he told reporters. \u201cI wanted to err on the cautious side and not hurt anything else. I just wanted to be smart about it and make a smart decision.\u201d<\/p>\n

He also said he was \u201cpretty hopeful\u201d \u2014 but acknowledged he\u2019d been in this spot before and chose to keep going, only for things to get worse.<\/p>\n

Making the scene more alarming: per Yahoo Sports<\/a>, one reporter noted Horton had \u201ctears in his eyes\u201d as he headed to the clubhouse.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\"\"\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Counsell Confirms IL Stint<\/p>\n

Manager Craig Counsell got straight to the point in his postgame comments, as quoted by ESPN<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou take a pitcher out of the game in the second inning, you\u2019re concerned. He\u2019ll probably get imaging, and that\u2019s concerning, as well. We\u2019ve got to see what we\u2019ve got here,\u201d the Cubs skipper said. \u201cIt\u2019s going to be an IL stint, but let\u2019s get more info before we get too far.\u201d<\/p>\n

Horton will be placed on the 15-day injured list and is returning to Chicago to undergo imaging Sunday or early Monday, according to MLB Trade Rumors\u2019 Steve Adams<\/a>. The Cubs will know more once the results come back.<\/p>\n

The concern hanging over all of this is obvious. As Sports Illustrated noted<\/a>, forearm injuries in pitchers are inherently ominous \u2014 they can signal elbow damage, and in a worst case, Tommy John surgery, which would cost Horton the rest of 2026 and potentially at least the start of his 2027 season as well.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\"\"\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Cubs Already Thin at the Top of the Rotation Without Horton<\/p>\n

The timing couldn\u2019t be worse for Chicago. Horton was the de facto Cubs ace this season while Justin Steele<\/a> continues recovering from UCL surgery. MLB Trade Rumors<\/a> noted that Steele, Jordan Wicks<\/a>, and now Horton are all on the injured list, leaving the rotation depleted to say the least. Horton finished second in NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2025 after posting a 2.67 ERA in 118 innings, including a remarkable 1.03 ERA over 12 second-half starts before a rib fracture ended his season.<\/p>\n

He was electric in his 2026 debut just one week ago<\/a> against the Nationals<\/a> \u2014 six-plus innings, two runs, four strikeouts \u2014 and looked set to build on that in Cleveland before things fell apart in the second inning.<\/p>\n

As for who fills in, the Chicago Sun-Times<\/a> reports the Cubs have options: Colin Rea<\/a>, who stepped in Friday and threw 3\u2153 solid innings, could take a rotation spot; Ben Brown<\/a> is stretched out; and Javier Assad<\/a> is at Triple-A Iowa. None of them, though, are at Horton\u2019s level. With Horton headed for imaging and the rotation suddenly in flux, the 3-4 Cubs may not be done making moves \u2014 and what comes next could have immediate implications for the staff, and the NL Central pennant race.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\"\"\/<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tJonathan Vankin<\/a> JONATHAN VANKIN is an award-winning journalist and writer who now covers baseball and other sports for Heavy.com. He twice won New England Press Association awards for sports feature writing. He was a sports editor and writer at The Daily Yomiuri in Tokyo, Japan, covering Japan Pro Baseball, boxing, sumo and other sports. More about Jonathan Vankin<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tMore Heavy on Cubs\n\t\t<\/p>\n

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