The Chicago Cubs are dealing with some significant injuries just 10 games into the 2026 season. Chicago entered the current campaign with fairly high hopes. In fact, ESPN previously predicted that the Cubs would win the National League Central division for the first time in six years. The team’s positive outlook was boosted by the offseason acquisition of All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman.
Nevertheless, Chicago’s pitching staff was widely seen as the club’s backbone. After falling short in the 2025 playoffs, the Cubs made it clear that they needed one more quality starter. As a result, the team went out and traded for Edward Cabrera from the Miami Marlins. With Cabrera, the North Siders had an impressive top three of the rotation alongside Matthew Boyd and Cade Horton.
Boyd and Horton, however, are both now out of action. Boyd was recently placed on the 15-day injured list with a bicep strain. At the moment, the Cubs do not expect the ace to miss any additional time. Nevertheless, Horton could very well be a different story. Chicago fans are holding their breath as the righty is set to receive a second opinion on his elbow issue.
With the strong rotation enduring problems, Sports Illustrated’s Patrick McAvoy believes the Cubs should target free agent pitcher Lucas Giolito. The former All-Star is bizarrely still on the market. This is despite the fact that ESPN ranked the veteran as the 10th-best starter in free agency this past winter. At the time, the outlet predicted the pitcher would land a two-year, $32 million ($16 million AAV) contract.
Chicago Cubs Newcomer Could Help Team Land Lucas Giolito
GettyLucas Giolito could give the Cubs a solid insurance policy.
As McAvoy points out, Bregman could potentially help Chicago eventually land Giolito. The two stars were teammates with the Boston Red Sox in 2025. After missing the entire 2024 season due to UCL surgery, Giolito posted solid numbers last year. In 26 starts during the campaign, the former All-Star went 10-4 with a 3.41 ERA and 1.29 WHIP.
It seems, however, that teams are concerned about Giolito’s arm health. Although he did recover from the elbow injury to have a successful 2025, the pitcher did miss Boston’s playoff run. Giolito was forced to rest during September/October due to another elbow concern. Red Sox manager Alex Cora did not believe the issue was significant, yet the starter could not pitch in the postseason.
Cubs Will Have Competition for Star Pitcher’s Signature
Despite the injury concerns, Giolito has mostly proven to be a reliable starter throughout his professional career. Before the 2024 issue, the veteran essentially pitched a full season of work each year between 2018 and 2023. His best campaign previously came with the Chicago White Sox in 2019. During the season, Giolito won 14 games and led the league in complete games (3) and shutouts (2).
The Chicago Cubs, however, are not the only team to be linked with Giolito. The Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres, and Toronto Blue Jays could very well pursue the veteran as well. Like Chicago, these teams are also enduring pitching woes in the early stages of the 2026 season. As a result, Chicago should make a quick move for the starter. This is especially the case if Horton’s injury is a long-term problem.
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