Chicago has a handful of players who could be named the starter when Opening Day rolls around, but who has the upper hand?
, their year will launch the following day against the Washington Nationals. Not only will the Nationals game be the start of their season, but it will also be their home opener. The starting pitcher for most organizations has not been announced yet, including the Cubs, who have a handful of pitchers who could get the nod.
Ultimately, the first game of the season is important for many reasons, as it sets the tone for the year. Now, Chicago did plenty to make their team better this offseason, but there is arguably no surefire pick as to who should throw the first pitch of their season. Sep 19, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the first inning at Great American Ball Park. | Katie Stratman-Imagn ImagesShota Imanaga: 3.73 ERA, 117 Strikeouts, 0.99 WHIPJameson Taillon: 3.68 ERA, 98 Strikeouts, 1.06 WHIPWho will not start Imanaga made his first career Opening Day start in 2025, but the same fate is not likely this year. Last season, he unfortunately turned into a home run machine , and that trend has continued into spring training, as he has allowed three home runs in 4.2 innings. Feb 11, 2026; Mesa, AZ, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Jameson Taillon throws during spring training camp at Sloan Park. | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images Taillon, on the other hand, could have been at the forefront of their minds until spring training. His pre-season games have not gone well so far, as he has 13 earned runs in only six innings. Cabrera is a new addition and has yet to establish himself amongst the greats, so it seems unlikely that Craig Counsell is going to put the ball in his hands for their 2026 debut. And with Colin Rea moving into a swing role, he is not going to be their No.1 guy, either.This is a battle between a veteran and a young gun, and neither is a bad choice to take on the Nationals. Horton has kept his scoreless ways going into spring training as he emerged as one of the best pitchers in the game last season with 27 consecutive scoreless innings.Boyd, on the other hand, led the team in wins last season and has a sub-2.00 ERA this spring. He has only one other Opening Day start . In that game, he pitched six scoreless innings and walked away with a win. Whoever gets the call for the start against the Nats on the last Thursday of March is a good option. There isn't a wrong call to make here, but Horton's ability to keep runs off the board might just make him the frontrunner.Maddy Dickens resides in Loveland, Colorado. She grew up with two older brothers, where their lives revolved around sports. She earned a master's degree in business management from Tarleton State University while simultaneously playing basketball and competing in rodeo at the collegiate level. She successfully parlayed a reserve national championship into a professional rodeo career and now stays involved in upper-level athletics by writing for On SI on several different MLB teams' pages, along with some NCAA sites.The Five Most Consequential Moves of the MLB Offseason
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