Underappreciated piece of Cubs' pitching puzzle quickly shows how valuable he can be

Ask and Javier Assad shall deliver.

At least, that was the story on Tuesday night. On the heels of the devastating news that Cade Horton will miss the rest of the 2026 season (at a minimum) due to right elbow surgery, Javier Assad - freshly promoted from Triple-A Iowa - put on a clinic on the mound, leading the Chicago Cubs to a much-needed 9-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Assad tossed 5 2/3 scoreless innings in the victory, carrying perfection into the fifth inning. The right-hander punched out three and walked two, allowing just one hit in the win that, thanks to the Boston Red Sox defeating the Milwaukee Brewers, pulled the Cubs back to a game within .500 and within three of the top spot in the division.

Javier Assad could buy Jed Hoyer and the Cubs some much-needed time

With rumors swirling around potential backup plans Jed Hoyer and Carter Hawkins could pivot to in Horton's absence, Assad gave Cubs fans one night to relax and take a step back from the ledge they've been precariously balanced on the last two weeks - extending the team's recent string of strong starting pitching.

Despite the Horton injury, Matthew Boyd's IL stint and the fact Justin Steele won't be back until May, the Chicago rotation boasts a 2.80 ERA on the year - the third-best mark in the majors. Assad gives the Cubs a no-cost option to turn to while the front office evaluates its options, continuing to deliver quality - something he's done whenever given the chance in his big-league career.

Over parts of the last three seasons, Assad boasts a 3.43 ERA across 331 innings of work. No, the advanced metrics don't look particularly kindly on the 28-year-old, but the results have always been there and, given the state of the Cubs' pitching staff, that's all anyone can ask for right now.