Cubs' arms under strain
Early injuries are testing the Chicago Cubs’ pitching depth, with reporting noting the club’s rotation and bullpen are already under pressure (yardbarker.com). Commentary suggested the team may need to lean on starters such as Shota Imanaga and Daniel Cabrera and rely more heavily on its offense to stay afloat while injured pitchers recover (clutchpoints.com).
The Chicago Cubs opened April with a thinning pitching staff, and the injuries are already reshaping both the rotation and the bullpen. (mlb.com) Cade Horton is out for the 2026 season after right elbow surgery, and Opening Day starter Matthew Boyd went on the 15-day injured list on April 6 with a left biceps strain. (mlb.com) The bullpen has taken hits, too: Porter Hodge has been on the 15-day injured list since March 25 with a right flexor strain, and Phil Maton was added on April 10 with right knee tendinitis. (mlb.com) That has left Chicago leaning harder on Shota Imanaga, Jameson Taillon, Edward Cabrera, Colin Rea, Javier Assad and Ben Brown to cover innings in the season’s first two weeks. (mlb.com) Imanaga gave the Cubs a glimpse of what that load looks like on April 10, when he threw six no-hit innings with nine strikeouts against Pittsburgh before the bullpen took over in a 2-0 loss. (mlb.com) Chicago entered Sunday at 6-8 and in fifth place in the National League Central, even though Baseball-Reference’s Pythagorean formula pegged the club closer to an 8-5 team based on 56 runs scored and 46 allowed. (espn.com) (baseball-reference.com) The offense is getting healthier at the same time the arms are getting tested. Seiya Suzuki was reinstated from the 10-day injured list on April 10 after missing the start of the season with a right knee injury. (mlb.com) Chicago still has some reinforcements on the injured list rather than lost for the year. MLB.com said Boyd is not expected to miss more than the minimum stay, while Jordan Wicks is facing hitters again and Justin Steele is projected back in the first half of 2026. (mlb.com) For now, the Cubs’ margin is small: fewer healthy relievers, fewer proven starters, and a schedule that does not pause while the staff heals. (mlb.com)
