Cubs' Horton to undergo season-ending elbow surgery

Chicago Cubs right-hander Cade Horton will undergo season-ending elbow surgery to repair his UCL, manager Craig Counsell announced Tuesday, according to Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network.

Horton left Friday's start at Cleveland with a trainer after throwing one-plus innings. He was placed on the injured list Sunday with what the team initially called a right forearm strain.

An MRI over the weekend revealed that his injury was worse than the Cubs originally hoped, ESPN's Jesse Rogers reported on ESPN 1000 Chicago earlier Tuesday. Horton reportedly met with Dr. Keith Meister in Dallas on Tuesday to determine the full extent of his injury.

It's unclear if Horton needs full Tommy John surgery to repair the ligament or the internal brace procedure. The recovery timelines vary; some pitchers can return faster from an internal brace, while a full UCL repair can take 12-18 months.

Horton previously tore his UCL and underwent Tommy John surgery during his freshman year at Oklahoma.

The 24-year-old was the NL Rookie of the Year runner-up last campaign. He helped the Cubs earn a wild-card berth by posting a 2.67 ERA and 1.08 WHIP along with 97 strikeouts across 118 innings, but he missed the final weeks of the regular season and the playoffs because of a rib injury.