Yes, I know that for any Cubs fan, the words \u201cCade Horton to injured list\u201d in a headline gives feelings of dread.<\/p>\n
But here we are. Horton was placed on the injured list today, the move retroactive to Saturday.<\/p>\n
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For pitchers, the IL is 15 days. The \u201cfortunate\u201d thing, if there is one regarding this stint, is that the Cubs have two off days during that span. Horton will be eligible to return April 19. With those off days, it\u2019s possible Horton, if deemed healthy, could start that day against the Mets, thus missing only two starts.<\/p>\n
In any case, we will have to wait until Tuesday, probably, for any updates. After Friday\u2019s game, manager Craig Counsell suggested that Horton would stay with the team Saturday, return to Chicago Sunday and probably have imaging done Monday. Until then, as always, we await developments.<\/p>\n
Left-hander Riley Martin was called up from Triple-A Iowa to take Horton\u2019s spot on the 26-man active roster. Martin was the Cubs\u2019 sixth-round pick in 2021 out of Quincy University in western Illinois, and this will be his first call-up to the major leagues at age 28.<\/p>\n
Right-hander Ethan Roberts will join the team Sunday as the 27th man for the doubleheader.<\/p>\n
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Martin has made one appearance for Iowa this year, starting last Tuesday vs. Louisville<\/a> and throwing 47 pitches over three innings. He allowed three hits and one run and struck out three. This hints that Martin would be stretched out for a long-relief role and one of the two long relievers currently in the Cubs pen, Colin Rea or Ben Brown, would slot into Horton\u2019s rotation spot, which next comes up Wednesday in Tampa.<\/p>\n