On Friday, the Chicago Cubs lost to the Cleveland Guardians 4-1 in a road game forfeited. Before that, Cubs' starting pitcher Cade Horton had to leave the game early due to discomfort in his forearm.

After the game, Horton, 24, offered clarity on what led him to exit prematurely, per Marquee Sports Network. Essentially, he said that he is still feeling good.

“I just wanted to err on the cautious side and try not to hurt anything else … I wanted to make a mature decision and end it there.”

Overall, Horton finished the game with only one inning pitched and came away with a walk. Afterward, Colin Rea came on in relief and pitched 3.1 innings while giving up four hits and coming away with four strikeouts. Relief pitcher Hunter Harvey gave up three runs in 0.2 innings pitched.

As a result, the Cubs are now 3-4 through their first seven games of the season. Last year, Horton pitched a total of 23 games and finished with an 11-4 record and a 2.67 ERA. Towards the tail end of the season, Horton was sidelined with a fractured right rib.

After a strong showing in Spring Training, Cubs manager Craig Counsell touted Horton as a potential starter. The Cubs are in the midst of a three-game series against the Guardians. On Saturday, they will play at 6:15 pm CST and then on Sunday at 12:40 pm CST.

On March 28, Horton secured his first win of the season against the Washington Nationals. He pitched 6.1 innings with four strikeouts and gave up two earned runs.