When Justin Steele I went under the knife for UCL revision surgery last month, ending its 2025 early season, the pressure pressure at the front of the cubs rotation went from two southern stars to the fall entirely on the shoulders of the shoulders of the shoulders of the shoulders of the shoulders of the shoulders of the shoulders of the shoulders of the shoulders of the shoulders of the shoulders of the shoulders Shota Imanaga. The first eight departures of the year of imanaga have generally gone well, because it launched an MPM of 2.82 despite its considerably regressing peripherals (4.52 FIP, 4.69 Siera) compared to the dominant recruit campaign from last year.
Unfortunately, his own season was at least temporarily derailed yesterday when Chicago placed her on the injured list due to a tense left hamstrings. Fortunately, the cubs and imanaga seem to consider tension as quite soft. Director Craig Counsell suggested during his post-match interview yesterday (H / T Marquee Sports Network) that the result was “Very good news” And that it was at least possible that Imanaga does not take much more time than a minimum stay on the shelf to recover. Even thus, another starter will be necessary to reach Jameson Taillon,, Matthew Boyd,, Ben BrownAnd Colin Rea in rotation.
Perhaps the Cubs do not need to seek further than the Triple-A launcher who was already on the same annex as Imanaga before the injury. Higher pitch prospect Cade HortonSelected in the first round of the 2022 draft, is nothing less than dominant this year. Consensual prospect of the top-50 in sport, Horton made six departures for the Iowa affiliate of the club this year and posted an MPM of 1.24 sparkling at that time with a rate of withdrawal of 30.6%. This is the kind of domination that will naturally lead to fans calling for the beginning of the big league, and these calls are not more strong following the injury of imanaga. It is difficult to discuss any launcher currently on the list of large leagues has a higher ceiling than Horton, which has a quick ball from the mid -90s which touched 98 and a more cursor as part of a solid mixture of four throws.
For his part, Counsell told journalists (including Maddie Lee from Chicago Sun Times) that Horton is “An option” To replace Imanaga in the rotation. That being said, Counsell also noted that the right veteran Chris Flexen It remains extended after his contract is recently selected in Triple-A before an opportunity for uniform deactivation in his contract on May 1. Flexen launched 54 locations in three main emergency rounds last week and sported an MPM of 1.16 with a withdrawal rate of 22.3% in 23 1/3 work rounds in Triple-A before the selection of his contract. Veteran of Eight Seasons of MLB which also briefly presented for the Doosan Bears of the KBO League, Flexen has generally been an almost average swingman since its return from South Korea with an MPM of 4.56 (90 ERA +) in 582 2/3 working sleeves.
His figures have fallen considerably over the past two years, but it is difficult to deny that it has looked impressive since he joined Chicago for a minor league agreement. However, there is no doubt that Horton is the most talented launcher with a much higher advantage. Horton seems to have a very successful career with Cubs in the years to come, but there are other considerations that could tip the ladder to Flexen. The Cubs enclosure, which ranks ten down in the majors with an MPM of 4.37, has already been somewhat stretched by short departures from Rea and Brown this year. Horton would add another launcher who could not expect deep matches in the rotation mixture, because it is maximum at only 78 throws this year. Flexen, on the other hand, reached a maximum of 95 throws and launched the sixth round in three of its four complete departures with Iowa.
Horton’s injury problems over the years, from Tommy John surgery to the college to a stump under Scupularis which cost him most of his 2024 season, left the cubs in a position where they will have to manage the sleeves of talented right-handers carefully this year. For a team with aspirations in the playoffs, it is just to wonder if calling it in early May is the right call when his electric arm may be necessary in October. On the other hand, however, it should be noted that Horton did not launch a single throw after May 29 of last year. Health for a launcher is never guaranteed, so it is possible that Cubs are better calling Horton now while he was pitting well and discovers how to manage his sleeves later by closing it at a given time this year or transferring it to the enclosure of the lifts.
How do MLBTR readers think that Cubs should manage vacancy in their rotation while IMANAGA is out of service? Should they turn to the high-level perspective by striking the door of the big leagues while it is healthy and well, or rather opt to use Flexen in order to manage the Horton sleeves and preserve the enclosure of the lifts? Have your word to say in the survey below:
