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The injury to Cade Horton has dramatically reshaped the pitching plans for the Chicago Cubs ahead of their National League Wild Card series against the San Diego Padres. The Padres have announced that Nick Pivetta will take the mound for them on Tuesday against the Cubs, but the North Siders have yet to announce a starter.
Entering the weekend, the plan seemingly was for Horton to get the start. Those plans were derailed on Saturday when the Cubs announced that Horton was headed to the 15-day IL with a fractured rib. The earliest that Horton could return for the Cubs would be in Game 5 of the NLDS against the Milwaukee Brewers. Of course, the Cubs will need to get past the Padres first.
Cade Horton injury throws Cubs’ Game 1 strategy into total chaos
For as great as Matthew Boyd was during the first half of the season and consistent Shota Imanaga has been before the last month of the 2025 season, neither has made a strong case to be the team's Game 1 starter. Boyd has regressed during the second half of the season, while Imanaga has struggled with giving up home runs over his last five starts.
Don't be shocked to see the Cubs use an opener on Tuesday to get through the first sequence of plate appearances from Fernando Tatis Jr., Luis Arraez, and Manny Machado. Using a veteran like Andrew Kittredge could be the move for the Cubs before he gives way to a piggy-back option such as Michael Soroka.
Counsell has stressed that he views his entire pitching staff as out-getters, and with no clear Game 1 starter healthy on the team's pitching staff, using a high-leverage relief pitcher such as Kittredge would get the Cubs through one turn of the Padres' lineup with hopefully minimal damage from their top offensive players. Kittredge has a 3.32 ERA for the Cubs since being traded by the Baltimore Orioles at the deadline. Not to mention, it would keep Drew Pomeranz, Brad Keller, and Caleb Thielbar in line for high-leverage situations later in the game.