Cubs Ace Cade Horton to Undergo Elbow Surgery, Out for 2026 Season

Horton's injury marks another blow to the Cubs' pitching staff as they also await the return of ace Justin Steele.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 5:21pm

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A cubist-style painting depicting a baseball pitcher's throwing motion broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in a variety of colors, conveying the complexity and fragility of the sport.The Cubs' pitching staff faces a major challenge as they navigate the loss of two key starters to elbow injuries.Arlington Today

Chicago Cubs pitcher Cade Horton will undergo elbow surgery and miss the remainder of the 2026 season, manager Craig Counsell announced on Tuesday. An MRI revealed UCL damage in Horton's right elbow, and he will visit renowned specialist Dr. Keith Meister to determine the exact procedure, which could be a full Tommy John reconstruction or an internal brace repair.

Why it matters

Horton's injury is a significant setback for the Cubs, who are already without ace Justin Steele as he recovers from his own UCL surgery. The loss of two key starters will force the team to rely more heavily on Colin Rea and Javier Assad in the rotation, testing the depth of their pitching staff.

The details

Horton, the Cubs' 24-year-old right-hander, was the No. 7 overall pick in the 2022 draft and had a breakout rookie season in 2025, going 11-4 with a 2.67 ERA in 118 innings. He was injured in his 2026 debut on April 3, when his velocity dropped from 96 mph to 93.8 mph before he left the game. No surgery date has been set, but Counsell confirmed Horton will miss the rest of the season.

  • Horton was injured on April 3 during his 2026 season debut.
  • Horton visited Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday to determine the extent of the injury and the necessary surgery.

The players

Cade Horton

A 24-year-old right-handed pitcher for the Chicago Cubs who was the No. 7 overall pick in the 2022 draft and had a breakout rookie season in 2025.

Craig Counsell

The manager of the Chicago Cubs.

Justin Steele

The Cubs' ace pitcher who is recovering from his own UCL surgery and is not expected back until late May at the earliest.

Colin Rea

A Cubs pitcher who will be asked to take on a larger role in the rotation with the injuries to Horton and Steele.

Javier Assad

A Cubs pitcher who will also be asked to step up in the rotation with the injuries to Horton and Steele.

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What they’re saying

“Cade is gonna have surgery. He's gonna miss the rest of the year.”

— Craig Counsell, Manager, Chicago Cubs

What’s next

No surgery date has been set for Cade Horton, but he will undergo the procedure after visiting renowned elbow specialist Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas.

The takeaway

The loss of Cade Horton for the season is a major blow to the Cubs' pitching staff, which is already dealing with the absence of ace Justin Steele. The team will need to rely on depth options like Colin Rea and Javier Assad to fill the void left by the injuries, testing the resilience of their rotation.