The Chicago Cubs announced on Saturday that starting pitcher Cade Horton was placed on the 15-day IL with a non-displaced rib fracture. It's a brutal blow for the NL Rookie of the Year favorite, especially with the playoffs right around the corner.
Not long after the club announced Horton's injury status, President of Baseball Operations and general manager Jed Hoyer shared more details about what led to the IL decision. Hoyer admitted that after seeing the 24-year-old pitcher throw on Saturday, there was no way for Horton to play without changing his mechanics, according to Jesse Rogers of ESPN.
Hoyer also revealed that Horton had been dealing with a sickness that had him suffering from a cough that may have played a part in injuring Hoyer's ribs. Overall, it appears the Cubs are not entirely sure what caused Horton to experience a non-displaced rib fracture.
“When he threw today, it was clear there was no way to pitch without changing mechanics,” said Jed Hoyer. “The honest answer is I don't think we know [what generated the injury]. He was sick in Cincinnati. With that, there was coughing. Whether that did it or not, we don't know. There was no acute event that we know of, just that his ribs were sore.”
The Cubs already clinched a Wild Card spot in the MLB Playoffs. However, with Cade Horton on the 15-day IL, the team will be without one of its top pitchers for the beginning portion of the offseason. Horton ends his rookie campaign owning a 2.67 ERA and 1.085 WHIP while recording 97 strikeouts through 118.0 innings pitched.
Chicago will have to utilize a starting rotation consisting of Matthew Boyd, Colin Rea, Shota Imanaga, Javier Assad, and Jameson Tailon. There is a chance Cade Horton returns. But that will largely depend on the Cubs remaining in the playoffs for longer than the Wild Card round.
