Chicago Cubs Rookie Cade Horton Out Of Action To Begin NL Playoffs
Cade Horton may be the NL Rookie of the Year, but he may miss most or all of the Chicago Cubs’ postseason run. The 24-year-old pitcher was put on the 15-day injured list with a rib fracture. Horton and the Cubs do not know when the fracture happened. He had been ill during the Cincinnati series last week, and there is speculation that maybe the injury happened while the young pitcher was coughing. An MRI revealed the injury last week.
How Long Will Cade Horton Be Out?
Missed time from rib fractures can vary based on the severity of the injury. Pitchers with the injury missed an average of 88 days over the last four seasons, according to Baseball Prospectus. Placing Horton on the 15-day IL means the earliest he could return would be the final game of the Divisional Series.
A team cannot make roster changes during a playoff series unless there is an injury. That would mean that, unless there is another Cub injury, he would have to sit out until the League Championship Series that starts on October 13. Most likely, though, the star rookie will miss the entire postseason.
What Does Losing Horton Mean To The Cubs?
With Justin Steele already lost for the season, Horton’s loss is a major blow to Chicago’s playoff roster. As of right now, the Cubs are lined up to pitch Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga in the first two games of the NL Wild Card against the San Diego Padres. Colin Rea would then be lined up for a potential Game 3 start, if necessary. As that would be an elimination game, it is possible that Chicago would switch things up or have a “bullpen game.”
Cade Horton’s Rookie Of The Year Case
Horton was called up on May 10 and had a stellar rookie season. The 2022 first-round pick out of Oklahoma went 11-4 with a 2.67 ERA and 97 strikeouts in 118 innings. He started 22 of the 23 games that he pitched in. Horton was fantastic down the stretch for the Cubs, allowing one or fewer runs in 11 of his last 12 starts. He allowed just two runs in that other start. Most insiders believe that Horton is a shoe-in for NL Rookie of the Year honors.
Wrapping Up
Chicago closed out its regular season with a 2-0 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday afternoon. Seiya Suzuki hit his 32nd home run, a solo shot, in the fifth inning, and rookie DH Moises Ballesteros drove in the other run with a single in the seventh inning. Javier Assad pitched 5.1 scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and one walk, while striking out six. Game 1 of the Cubs’ Wild Card series against the Padres will take place on Tuesday, September 30, at Wrigley Field. First pitch is scheduled for 2:08 p.m. CST.
