Cubs Jump Into Conversation For Tigers' Tarik Skubal

Just now, Tryptamine said:

If you have no Ben Brown and Edward Cabrera, how are you filling your rotation next year? Boyd, Shota, Taillon are all gone. Steele should be healthy, Horton likely doesn't even pitch in 2027. That would make Colin Rea your #2.

As you figured out in your prior post, you were confusing Alcantara and Cabrera. We'd have Steele, Cabrera, Rea, Assad, Wiggins, and, most importantly, about $100m in free salary. 

We'd also get to watch one of the best pitchers in baseball pitch for our team for 2-3 months instead of (gestures sadly at the back half of our rotation)

2 hours ago, Tryptamine said:

If you have no Ben Brown and Edward Cabrera, how are you filling your rotation next year? Boyd, Shota, Taillon are all gone. Steele should be healthy, Horton likely doesn't even pitch in 2027. That would make Colin Rea your #2.

Why would Horton not pitch next year? He went out in like the second game. Even if he didn’t come back until around the ASB, that’s like 15 months post surgery. 

5 minutes ago, JD94 said:

Why would Horton not pitch next year? He went out in like the second game. Even if he didn’t come back until around the ASB, that’s like 15 months post surgery. 

Justin Steele got hurt around the same time in 2025. It's a definite possibility unless everything with Horton's rehab goes 100% perfectly. And even if that happens you have no idea how effective he'll be.

12 minutes ago, Tangled Up in Plaid said:

Justin Steele got hurt around the same time in 2025. It's a definite possibility unless everything with Horton's rehab goes 100% perfectly. And even if that happens you have no idea how effective he'll be.

Right but Steele had an unrelated set back. Sure it happens, but he’s still expected to pitch this year and I would rather assume Horton does not have a setback although it’s obviously possible. 

27 minutes ago, JD94 said:

Why would Horton not pitch next year? He went out in like the second game. Even if he didn’t come back until around the ASB, that’s like 15 months post surgery. 

TJS runs 15-18 months now a days for a good handful pitchers to return as teams are generous and cautious. This is his second TJS in a half decade. I would guess that while it's possible he makes a debut around June in '27, the expectation should be August and beyond with the understanding it really may not be until 2028. The Cubs will likely ere heavily on the side of caution. 

19 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

TJS runs 15-18 months now a days for a good handful pitchers to return as teams are generous and cautious. This is his second TJS in a half decade. I would guess that while it's possible he makes a debut around June in '27, the expectation should be August and beyond with the understanding it really may not be until 2028. The Cubs will likely ere heavily on the side of caution. 

Sure I get all that. I was just responding to the poster that said he “likely” won’t pitch in 2027. I wouldn’t say it’s likely he doesn’t pitch when it’s just as likely he does pitch. We can’t predict how he heals, rehabs, feels, looks, setbacks, any of that. What we know, as you said, the majority of TJ guys come back around 15-17 months and that puts him on track to pitch down the stretch and into the playoffs next season if all goes well. That was my only point. I can’t predict whether he does or doesn’t have a setback or major training wheels put on him. 

There is every chance he’s back inn late May. There’s also a chance he never pitches effectively again. Two TJs is a big deal. For every Jameson Taillon (yes that’s the success story here) there’s a Josh Johnson who never threw another major league pitch.

5 minutes ago, Bull said:

There’s also a chance he never pitches effectively again. Two TJs is a big deal. For every Jameson Taillon (yes that’s the success story here)

Just so it doesn't seem so bleak, Ohtani, Eovaldi, deGrom, Rasmussen, and McClanahan have all come back from multiple TJs

49 minutes ago, Tangled Up in Plaid said:

Just so it doesn't seem so bleak, Ohtani, Eovaldi, deGrom, Rasmussen, and McClanahan have all come back from multiple TJs

Yeah the internal brace procedure has seemingly changed the calculus from "almost certain career ender" to merely "very very bad."

NVM

Skubal would be nice but unless Hoyer addresses the bullpen needs, ill pass on giving up those multiple players if that ask is accurate for a rental.