Cade Horton’s Cubs teammates detail their experiences rehabbing after major elbow surgeries

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Jameson Taillon was once Cade Horton.Taillon, the No. 2 pick in the 2010 MLB Draft, understands Horton’s path better than most. He can empathize with the responsibility Horton feels toward the Cubs and the agonizing feeling of being unable to take the mound.Taillon blew out his elbow in 2014 in the minors and again in 2019 in his fourth big-league season with the Pirates.The Cubs haven’t experienced the breadth of Horton’s talent. The club monitored his innings last season to keep him healthy, and Horton dazzled. He had a 1.03 ERA in the second half but missed the Cubs’ first playoff appearance since 2020 with a rib injury.This season, Horton was amped to get the full major-league experience. It’s a crushing blow not only for him but his teammates. Though his talent stands out, it’s his heart that they admire most.“The thing that stands out [with Horton] is his mentality, the way he prepares, the way he goes out and the confidence that he has in himself,” left fielder Ian Happ told the Sun-Times. “It’s pretty infectious for the group.”After Taillon’s second surgery, he reinvented himself. He focused on why the injuries were happening and used the opportunity to learn about his body. He also let go of the expectations that came with his draft status.“By the point I had my second elbow surgery, I had kind of just come to grips with, like, ‘I’m never going to be Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, who I was…

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