The Chicago Cubs will begin their 2026 campaign next week with Opening Day now looming right around the corner, and final tune ups are being made as the team finishes off its spring schedule.

Stats at this time of year are generally meant to be taken with a grain of salt. However, Chicago’s young ace Cade Horton had some folks concerned with how sharp his game was headed into the season by the way he had performed in exhibitions so far.

Through his first two outings, the 24-year-old had posted a 9.53 ERA and 1.59 WHIP, but in Monday’s victory over the Cleveland Guardians, he found the right gear and completely mowed down the lineup in front of him.

In five innings pitched, Horton allowed just three hits and one run while walking just one and absurdly striking out 10 Cleveland hitters. His stuff looked as tantalizing as it ever has throughout his young career, generating whiffs on numerous different pitch types.

Horton heating up at perfect time for Cubs

“I felt like tonight I put it all together,” Horton said after the game via Jordan Bastian of MLB.com. “It feels really good…Last week, I got hit around a little bit. But I feel like I put a good work week together. And so, to see the work I put in the middle of the week to today, I feel like it’s really cool to see what you’re working [show up for] you in the game.”

This was likely Horton’s last outing of the spring, with the youngster in line to start the team’s second game of the season after Matthew Boyd gets the ball on Opening Day. With a gap day in between Opening Day and the second game, though, he could get one more shot to tune things up, but he certainly looks like he’s ready for the season to begin in Chicago.

Cade Horton tonight:
5.0 IP | 3 H | 1 R | 10 K
21 Whiffs (51%)

His stuff looked as good as it ever has — generating whiffs with four different pitch types. pic.twitter.com/zNjnlpbAjQ

— Carson Wolf (@TheWrigleyWire) March 17, 2026

Horton looks ready for dominant second season for Cubs

As a rookie, the right-hander made 23 appearances for Chicago and finished with a 2.67 ERA as well as a 1.085 WHIP to post an 11-4 record and 2.0 bWAR over 118 innings pitched, going on a huge run down the stretch to keep the pitching staff afloat.

When he suffered an injury right before the playoffs, Horton’s presence was sorely missed, and had he been healthy, the Cubs may very well have been making a trip to the NLCS to face off against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Now that he has answered any concerns about not looking as sharp this spring, even though he’s fully healthy, the stage is set for a massive campaign where he introduces himself not just to Chicago but also becomes a household name even among casual baseball fans.