Cade Horton injury scare puts Cubs on edge after terrifying velocity drop

A nightmare scenario is unfolding for the Chicago Cubs against the Cleveland Guardians on Friday. Cade Horton, making his second start of the season, was pulled in the second inning with an apparent injury.

Cade Horton injury concern grows as Cubs see alarming velocity drop

Since being drafted by the Cubs in the first round of the 2022 MLB Draft, Horton has been viewed as one of the organization's top pitching prospects. Horton worked through some shoulder and back injuries during his ascension through the Cubs' system, and even when he made his major league debut last year, the team was cautious with his innings.

Even then, Horton wasn't spared from an injury scare, fracturing his ribs during the final month of the regular season. Healthy at the start of this season, Horton seemed to be on a trajectory toward becoming the next ace of the rotation. A trajectory that is now in question with the latest injury.

The scariest part about the injury was the dip in velocity. Horton's fastball routinely approaches triple digits. With his final pitching clocked at 93.8 MPH, that's an ominous sign for what he could be dealing with.

Horton will undergo imaging to determine the injury and its severity. The early reports emerging from the clubhouse aren't encouraging. The young starting pitcher was visibly upset and in tears as he was making his way through the dugout.

Needless to say, the Cubs are going to be extra cautious with Horton. Even if he dodged a serious injury, it wouldn't be a surprise if the Cubs played it safe with an IL stint. Considering how things looked for Horton as he was exiting Friday's game, that would seem to be the best-case scenario at this point.

While the knock on Jed Hoyer is that he never turns down an opportunity to add pitching depth, that will prove to be a silver lining for the Cubs at this point in the season. Even with Jordan Wicks and Justin Steele on the IL, the Cubs could turn to one of Colin Rea, Ben Brown, or Javier Assad to take Horton's spot in the rotation if needed.

It's a guessing game at this point for the Cubs and Horton, as Cubs fans hope Friday's move wasn't as bad as it looked. As of now, the Cubs are calling it "right forearm discomfort", but there will certainly be more updates to follow.