The Chicago Cubs have had to endure a lot of bad news over the last week or so.
Closer Daniel Palencia was recently placed on the 15-day IL with a shoulder strain after a disastrous outing in Sunday’s game against the Washington Nationals. There are doubts over whether he’ll be able to return this season at all.
Meanwhile, Kyle Tucker and Pete Crow-Armstrong remain hobbled by injury, presiding over an offense that has once again flat-lined.
But, among the few good-news Cubs morsels out there, pitcher Cade Horton is, arguably, the most feel-good.
The rise of Cade Horton
The 24-year-old rookie has logged a 2.78 ERA and a 9-4 record since his May call-up, but has been especially dominant over the last two months or so. The Cubs’ 2022 first-round draft pick has been lights out since his first start in July, working his way to a 1.23 ERA in his 11 starts since then and earning regard as the Cubs’ ace over the second half of the season.
His excellence on the mound has opened eyes and is now, rightfully, earning him Rookie of the Year recognition, even among a stacked 2025 rookie class.
Rookie of the Year?
In a recent piece for The Athletic, MLB analyst and former major league executive, Jim Bowden, places Horton in the top 3 when it comes to Rookie of the Year honors.
Per Bowden:
“Horton, 24, began the season in Triple A and made his major-league debut in May. It took him a little while to hit his stride in the big leagues, but since late July, he’s been the Cubs’ best starter. He has allowed just four earned runs total in his last nine starts, going 6-1 with a 0.77 ERA in 47 innings, allowing just 24 hits with 44 strikeouts and 14 walks.
His success is thanks to his elite secondary stuff that includes his sweeper (.178 BAA), his curveball (.167 BAA) and his changeup (.111 BAA). His breaking stuff is so good it ranks him in the 85th percentile in the sport. Horton hasn’t racked up a ton of strikeouts, but he’s limited walks and hard contact and induced a lot of groundballs. He’s quickly become the ace of the Cubs’ rotation.”
Bowden’s placement of Horton at no. 3, behind Drake Baldwin and Nolan McLean, for ROY consideration can be debated. What can’t be debated, though, is the young right-hander’s impact on a Cubs pitching staff that has been rocked and hobbled by injury over the course of the season.
The Chicago Cubs’ 2025 revelation
“It’s no surprise when he takes the ball for us and he’s able to do what he does,” Cubs catcher Reese McGuire told media after Horton’s most recent shutout performance. “His confidence, with how young he is and being in this league, getting the experience, he’s impressing a lot of people here.”
“There’s just an attack mentality with quality pitches,” manager Craig Counsell said. “It’s fun to watch, man. It’s been a really, really impressive start to a Major League career. He’s doing a heck of a job.”
Despite the string of impressive performances, however, there are some causes for concern.
Horton has never thrown more than 88.1 innings in a single season in his baseball career. He’s also had a history of injury, undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2021 while in college and having last season in Iowa shut down in late May with a subscapularis strain in his right shoulder. This season, between the minors and the majors, he’s already logged 132.2 innings, with the playoffs and the rest of the regular season still to go.
Because of that, Counsell has put a loose pitch count on Horton to preserve his arm. That strategy led to Horton being pulled in the fifth inning of his last start, even though he was working on a no-hitter at the time.
Horton was fine with the decision and actually welcomes the pitch count as motivation to work more efficiently.
“It’s almost like it is a challenge,” Horton told reporters.
Whether he takes the Rookie of the Year award or not, Horton has impressed. He’s not only excelled on the mound, but he’s showcased poise and maturity well beyond his years.
“I feel like I’m supposed to go out there and do that. That’s my job,” Horton told media after his last masterful outing against the Atlanta Braves. “But also, at the end of the day, it is really cool that I’ve put up those numbers. But I’ve got a start in six days and face the same lineup, so [it’s], ‘Go out there and do it again.’ It’s just never really getting complacent.”
Horton will take the mound Tuesday night against the Braves in Atlanta.
Chicago Cubs place Daniel Palencia on the IL, Counsell affirms bullpen plans
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