Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Cade Horton is not just the favorite to win the National League Rookie of the Year award. He is a potential X-factor during the 2025 MLB playoffs. With a best-of-three Wild Card clash with the San Diego Padres awaiting — venue not yet known — the team will need as many impactful arms as possible. Horton's health looms large, however. The latest update regarding the young right-hander, as provided by the manager, will leave fans a bit uneasy.
“Craig Counsell says ‘right now Cade is a go,'” Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic reported on Thursday. “Says Horton is ‘on track still' but there are some ‘areas of concern' in the rib area. Will continue to get info and have more docs look at the MRI (no more tests will be run). He’s expected to throw tomorrow after taking two days off.”
Horton exited Tuesday's start versus the New York Mets due to back tightness and illness, raising some questions about his ability to pitch effectively in the postseason. His importance to the Cubs' October aspirations cannot be overstated, so fans desperately want to know if he will be ready for the Padres. Counsell's comments, while encouraging in text, leave the door open for a potentially costly setback.
Chicago will hopefully have a clearer idea of Horton's status based on how his Friday throwing session goes.
Cade Horton has been huge for Cubs
Even though the Cubbies (89-69) are already locked into a playoff slot, few things have come easy during the second half of the season. They endured losing skids and concerning individual slumps while watching the Milwaukee Brewers take complete control of the division and NL as a whole. This ballclub is not entering the postseason with much momentum, nor is it a trendy pick to reach the World Series. But an active and healthy Cade Horton gives Chicago vital length in its starting rotation.
The No. 7 overall selection in the 2022 MLB Draft has quickly morphed into a difference-making hurler, recording a 2.67 ERA with 97 strikeouts, a 1.085 WHIP and .615 OPS allowed in 118 innings pitched this season. Since both Shota Imanaga and Matthew Boyd are weathering September struggles, Horton will be incredibly important during the remainder of the 2025 campaign.
The Cubs also expect him to be a crucial component of their long-term plans, however, so they may want to handle him carefully. Fans should be in a jubilant mood right now, but instead, they have to pray to the baseball gods for a favorable medical diagnosis. Such is life in the North Side.
