Cade Horton injury update: Cubs ace will have season-ending surgery

The Chicago Cubs , already off to an uneven start this season, will lose right-handed starter Cade Horton for the rest of the season due to elbow surgery, manager Craig Counsell announced on Tuesday, April 7. Horton, 24, finished runner-up in 2025 Rookie of the Year voting after posting a 2. 67 ERA over 22 starts, and likely has the most dominant repertoire of Cubs starters.

He pitched into the seventh inning in defeating the Washington Nationals in his season debut March 31, but exited his second start against Cleveland after just one inning. Now, a rotation that seemed plenty deep after the acquisition of Edward Cabrera from Miami in the off-season will be stretched to the limit. Horton was preceded to the IL by lefty Matthew Boyd, a 2025 All-Star who suffered a biceps strain.

Veteran right-hander Javier Assad was already recalled to take his roster spot. Now, the club is counting significantly on the return of lefty Justin Steele from Tommy John surgery performed almost exactly a year ago. Steele eyed a May return, but the Cubs placed him on the 60-day IL to begin the year, making that goal a tad ambitious.

And it also puts a greater onus on lefty Shota Imanaga to return to his 2024 form. The Cubs acquired Cabrera in the hopes it would take some heat off Imanaga, who has faded badly each of the past two second halves. Minus Horton, that margin for error has narrowed for the Cubs, who have lost six of their first 10 games this season.