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Riley Martin's injury update will do little to silence Cubs fans demanding answers

Somethings feels off.
Jordan Campbell
Jordan Campbell

Cubbies Crib

Mar 13, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Riley Martin against the Chicago White Sox during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Chicago Cubs' unfortunate trend with injuries continued over the weekend when Riley Martin was placed on the 15-day IL. Given that Martin was immediately sent back to Chicago for further testing, and the overall tone of Craig Counsell, the impression was that Martin could miss a significant amount of time. That impression was confirmed on Monday night.

Before the Cubs' loss to the Padres on Monday night, the team revealed that Martin is recovering from a flexor strain and will be sidelined for the next eight weeks.

Injuries happen during every season, but the rate at which Cubs pitchers have gotten hurt this season has signaled deeper concerns. This season alone, Porter Hodge, Jordan Wicks, Matthew Boyd, Hunter Harvey, Cade Horton, Daniel Palencia, and Riley Martin have all suffered some form of arm injury. Palencia was initially diagnosed with an oblique strain, but further testing revealed he had a lat strain. That doesn't include Phil Maton, who was sidelined with knee tendonitis. Of course, Justin Steele had reconstructive UCL surgery last year.

On one hand, the Cubs aren't the only team navigating their way through crippling injuries to their pitching staff. The Toronto Blue Jays, Houston Astros, and Atlanta Braves, to name a few, are other teams that have had their pitching staffs decimated by injuries to start the season.

Cubs aren't alone but a deep dive is needed

The Cubs aren't by themselves; there's been an uptick in pitchers getting hurt across baseball, but that doesn't mean that Jed Hoyer and Co. shouldn't do a deep dive into their development plan for pitches. Putting Boyd and Harvey to the side, veteran pitchers with an injury history that predates their time with the Cubs, the common denominator with the injuries is that these have mostly been to pitchers the Cubs have developed within their own system. That includes Jaxon Wiggins, who remains sidelined in Triple-A Iowa with elbow inflammation.

For the Cubs, there's been enough of a trend with their homegrown pitching that the process needs to be examined. Hoyer said as much earlier this season when he revealed that Hodge needed UCL surgery. It could be anything from changing the target profile for pitches in the draft--Horton and Wiggins were drafted with known injury risks--or revamping the development program for pitchers.

There's certainly a larger conversation needed for pitchers and their health across baseball, but for the Cubs, the first step will be looking from within.

Jordan Campbell

Jordan Campbell

For nearly 15 years, Jordan has been a workhorse across the FanSided network - including being the inaugural site expert for Cubbies Crib, as well as a stop at Da Windy City as the site expert. In addition to returning to be a Co-Site Expert at Cubbies Crib, Jordan was previously the Site Expert at Bear Goggles On. In the years since, Jordan has joined FanSided's full-time team, serving as a staff writer for the MLB division. Jordan's work can be seen across the MLB division, including a consistent presence on our Cubs, Twins, Astros, and Tigers sites. Since 2010, Jordan has dedicated his craft to providing insightful commentary on all things Chicago sports, and he has enjoyed his venture into all things Major League Baseball.