Cubs Have Internal Options To Choose From if Their Ace Is Out Long-Term

The Chicago Cubs are scrambling to find a fifth pitcher, and they can look within the organization to do that.

Cameron Zunkel | Apr 13, 2025

Apr 7, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Colin Rea (53) delivers during the ninth inning against the Texas Rangers at Wrigley Field. / Matt Marton-Imagn Images

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Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs lost their ace, Justin Steele, to an injury.

It appears to be short-term, but the fact that he is getting a second opinion is a bit concerning.

Replacing somebody like Steele is not going to be easy. He goes deep into games and will give the Cubs a chance to win every time he takes the mound.

With him out, Chicago has two options.

The first is the Cubs can look to make a trade.

There are a few candidates Chicago can look towards if this is the case. The team also has plenty of prospects to give up if they decide to make a splash in the trade market.

However, the second and most likely option, is looking internally.

The Northsiders have a couple pitchers in the organization who already have Major League experience starting games.

The man taking Steele's spot at the moment seems to be Colin Rea.

The right-hander has been in the Cubs' bullpen all year, but he will be starting Sunday night's rubber match against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

On the season, Rea has thrown 5.1 shutout innings over three appearances. In those games, the 34-year-old has allowed just five hits while striking out two batters and not walking anybody. He has experience starting with 76 career starts, including 27 in 2024 for the Milwaukee Brewers.

Jordan Wicks is another option.

The former first-round pick missed out on the fifth starting spot out of spring training. But he is on the 40-man roster, so all the Cubs would have to do is call him up.

Wicks made his debut in 2023, but only made seven starts. Last year, the left-hander started 10 games, but threw just 46.0 innings. In his career, he has thrown 80.2 innings, struck out 66 batters and has an ERA just over 5.00.

The 25-year-old has a tendency to give up hits.

He has allowed opponents to bat .275 off him in his career, but he battles, and that is what they need in their rotation.

The final option Chicago can turn to is Cade Horton.

Horton is the team's No. 2 prospect and he is proving why early on in Triple-A.

The right-hander has made two starts for the Iowa Cubs. In those games, he has thrown 7.1 innings, allowed just four hits, struck out 12 batters and his ERA is 1.23.

The concern with Horton is his command.

He has walked seven total hitters in his 7.1 innings, which is not sustainable at the big league level. Fixing that part of his game has to be the top priority.

Even with his lack of command, the Oklahoma product has some of the best stuff in the organization and his fastball has a lot of life. That is something Chicago does not have in their rotation. Still, the walks are holding him back from making his debut.

It is not easy replacing an ace.

The Cubs are going to be scrambling to find some consistency in their rotation.

Rea could provide that for Chicago, but Wicks and Horton are two pitchers the team should consider if Steele happens to miss an extended period of time.

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