Cubs rotation can be 'special' if Cade Horton and Edward Cabrera can reach a simple goal

The Chicago Cubs' starting rotation is one of the best in Major League Baseball when it comes to depth. Even though they might not have the star-power, the quality depth is key to their success in 2026.

Shota Imanaga, Matthew Boyd, Jameson Taillon, Edward Cabrera, and Cade Horton make up a strong starting five, and with Justin Steele set to come back later in the year, this rotation has a chance to be special.

But, according to ESPN's Bradford Doolittle, there is one goal that both Horton and Cabrera need to reach for this rotation to get such a "special" status. And fortunately, it's a very realistic combined goal for the two Cubs starters.

Cubs rotation can be special thanks to Horton, Cabrera

"Pivotal number: 255 2/3. If you combined the career-high innings total for new starter Edward Cabrera (137 2/3) with the number of frames put up by Cade Horton as a rookie last season (118), this is what you get," Doolittle writes. "... But the best chance for this group to become truly special is for Cabrera and Horton to be full-season catalysts. If that happens, this number will look more like 340."

The Cubs are getting full seasons out of both Horton and Cabrera, without any injuries, and with both starters pitching well, their innings counts are sure to rise.

If the duo hit 340 combined innings, it would mean that they each threw on average 170 innings in 2026. That would be a big increase for both starters and would be exactly what this Cubs rotation needs to be successful.

Without the star-power of an ace like Paul Skenes, Cristopher Sanchez, Tarik Skubal, Garrett Crochet, or Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Cubs need their entire rotation to pitch well all season to make up the difference.

More: Three ways Pirates' Paul Skenes could lose NL Cy Young Award

Even if they lack the Cy Young upside, if Cabrera, Horton, Imanaga, Boyd, Taillon, and Steele, once he returns, all can pitch well and rack up innings, the Cubs rotation would easily be one of the better groups in baseball.

The issue is that this is a big "if" for the Cubs. Cabrera hasn't pitched a full-season workload, and Doolittle set the requirement to see this rotation be "truly special." And while Horton could have such a season, year two might not be all smooth sailing.

This Cubs rotation has a chance to be special, but they will need all of their starters, especially Horton and Cabrera, to have a big season in 2026, not just by ERA, but by innings pitched as well.

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