The Chicago Cubs are heading into the 2026 MLB season with a gluttony of talented pitching. This is, of course, an ideal situation for any team, as 162 games are difficult to navigate healthily. Over the course of the year, the Cubs will undoubtedly use many different starting pitchers to help them achieve their goals.
That being said, the question right now is what pitchers will make up Chicago’s initial starting rotation. Additionally, which pitcher will be the Opening Day starter and, thereby, the staff ace?
There are, of course, multiple options with how deep their pitching depth is. But is may be Cade Horton who emerges as the Cubs’ ace in 2026.
Cade Horton projected to headline the Chicago Cubs starting rotation
In a recent article, Bleacher Report predicted the starting rotations for each Major League Baseball team. Their picks for the Cubs’ initial rotation was as follows:
1. RHP Cade Horton
2. LHP Matthew Boyd
3. RHP Edward Cabrera
4. LHP Shota Imanaga
5. RHP Jameson Taillon
IL: LHP Justin Steele
And of Horton being the staff ace, they wrote:
“The Cubs have a strong rotation top-to-bottom, but there’s a case to be made that they are lacking a bona fide ace to anchor the staff. After going 8-1 with a 1.03 ERA in 61.1 innings after the All-Star break last season, Cade Horton has the potential to be that guy, or at least to bridge the gap until Justin Steele returns sometime before the All-Star break.”
In 23 games (22 starts) for the Cubs as a rookie last season, Horton was 11-4 overall with a 2.67 ERA and 1.09 WHIP.
The challenge for Horton, though, will be pitching deep into games and late into the season. Last year, between the minors and Majors, he pitched 147.0 innings. Ideally, a true ace will be able to give his team 200+ innings a year.
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