The Chicago Cubs will hope to leave the injury bug behind as the calendar flips to May. The lengthy list of players on the shelf — which includes notable pitchers and position players — is frustrating and almost unbelievable.
Even though they dropped the final two games of a weekend series against the Boston Red Sox, the Cubs still find themselves near the top of the NL Central standings with a 17-11 record entering Monday. It's a feat that seems impossible with so many key contributors on the shelf.
It's always a "next man up" mentality when teams deal with injuries as the 162-game grind wears on. The Cubs are fortunate to have viable replacement options with such a strong farm system.
One player that the team hasn't turned to yet is their best option, top pitching prospect Cade Horton. The right-hander has done nothing but impress since he was selected in the first round of the 2022 MLB Draft.
In his start for Double-A Tennessee on Saturday, the phenom righty struck out six batters in five scoreless innings. It marked another quality outing that added to his solid numbers on the season.
Now, there's no sense in rushing the most important piece of the Cubs farm system. But if Horton continues his dominance, the front office will have no choice but to consider him a real possibility to help the big-league club.
The Cubs were already facing a dilemma with struggling starter Kyle Hendricks. Now that he's also on the injured list, Hendricks' spot in the rotation may not be guaranteed upon his return.
It'll be interesting to see how the Cubs manage their roster as players return from injuries. With Horton knocking on the door, he should certainly be in the running as the North Siders strive to return to the postseason for the first time since 2020.
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