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4 backup plans the Cubs could turn to in the wake of Shota Imanaga's injury

The Chicago Cubs could be without Shota Imanaga for some time, opening a path for one of the team's depth options
ByRich Eberwein|
Sep 15, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Keegan Thompson (71) pitches in the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
Sep 15, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Keegan Thompson (71) pitches in the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
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2. Call up Cade Horton

This is the sexy option that everyone on the internet is calling for, but I have reservations about calling up top pitching prospect Cade Horton this early. While the 23-year-old has dazzled with the Iowa Cubs this year, posting a 1.24 ERA, 33 strikeouts, and a 0.86 WHIP over 29 innings, Horton still needs time to mature in Triple-A.

The young starter still only has 151 2/3 innings of professional baseball under his belt and he is coming off a shoulder injury that caused him to miss two-thirds of the 2024 season. The Cubs should be wary of starting the clock on Horton's major-league career until he has proven he can stay healthy a bit longer.

I think Horton will be used on the major-league team at some point this year, especially if he keeps pitching like this. But I think it's wise to let him get some more reps and get his body used to pitching 5+ innings every fifth day. The Cubs should do everything they can to preserve the long-term health and longevity of Horton as an MLB starter, and calling him up in May could be counterintuitive.

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