Cade Horton and Edward Cabrera emerge as aces, poised to anchor the Cubs' rotation and ignite a playoff push. Their dominant performances signal a bright future.
The Chicago Cubs' rotation faces some question marks early in the season.
Matthew Boyd struggled in his first start on Opening Day, Shota Imanaga continues to be bitten by the home run ball, and things could get complicated once Justin Steele is fully healthy to return from his elbow injury.
However, it’s clear after the first few games that Cade Horton and Edward Cabrera are going to be the Cubs’ best pitchers in 2026. These two pitchers have the potential to be aces atop Chicago’s rotation for the next few years.
Horton looked solid in his first start of the year on Saturday against the Washington Nationals. He threw 6 ⅓ innings of two-run ball with four strikeouts. He made quick work on the mound in his outing and induced nine whiffs in the game.
The 24-year-old picked up right where he left off last year, when he finished with a 2.67 ERA across 118 innings pitched. Horton has the tools to be a really good pitcher in the big leagues, and his strong performance on Saturday signals what’s to come in Year 2.
As for Cabrera, his Cubs debut couldn’t have gone any better. He drew the start against the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night and threw six shutout innings with one hit, one walk, and five strikeouts.
Cabrera was in command in his first start of the season. He generated 15 swings-and-misses, had nine called strikes, and topped out at 98.1 mph on his four-seam fastball. His changeup was also devious in this game, resulting in five whiffs.
Monday’s performance against the Angels is why the Cubs traded away multiple prospects to acquire Cabrera this past offseason. That’s how good the 27-year-old is when he is in complete control on the mound.
Having a pitching duo of Horton and Cabrera will be fun to watch for the foreseeable future. Horton won’t become a free agent until after the 2031 season, while Cabrera will enter free agency after the 2028 season.
These two pitchers are going to carry the Cubs' rotation for the next few years. Both should also form into top starting pitchers this season. Horton already showed his potential in his rookie campaign, and Cabrera is coming off his best pitching season.
If the Cubs want to make a deep postseason run this year, the pitching of Horton and Cabrera will be key. Both pitchers have the chance to establish themselves as aces.