Well, maybe we were being way too optimistic when thinking about the possibility of rookie Cade Horton returning in time to pitch in the NLDS for the Chicago Cubs. Horton was ill leading up to his final regular season start against the New York Mets and while sick the right-handed pitcher had an ongoing cough that eventually resulted in Horton suffering a rib fracture.
Horton was placed on the 15-day injured list and theoretically the Cubs could have activated in time to pitch in a must-win Game 5 in the NLDS. However, on Friday Cubs manager Craig Counsell delivered a devastating update. Not only is Horton out of the picture for the Cubs against the Milwaukee Brewers, it also sounds like Horton may not be a factor whatsoever if the Cubs advance deeper in the postseason.
So, the Cubs were probably always going to use Javier Assad in the NLDS, but Horton's status pretty much confirms it. Assad missed most of the regular season because of an oblique injury and subsequent setback, but when he returned the righty once again delivered solid innings for the Cubs. He pitched in eight games and made seven starts. In 37 innings of work Assad posted a 3.65 ERA with 23 strikeouts.
The Cubs are obviously missing a big arm this series, but so are the Brewers. Brandon Woodruff won't be available for Milwaukee as the veteran starter went down with a lat injury late in September.
As of now, the Brewers have not ruled out a return from Woodruff if they advance beyond the NLDS over the Cubs.
Game 1 between the Cubs and Brewers is scheduled for 1:08 pm in Milwaukee on Saturday.
(Previous Update)
Well, the pessimistic side of being a Cubs fan tells me it's over before the playoffs even started. Cade Horton, who has been the best starting pitcher in baseball since the All-Star break and was the presumable Game 1 starter for the Wild Card series, has been placed on the 15-day injured list with a rib fracture.
This is a disaster for the Cubs.
The IL stint has been retroactively pushed back to Sept. 25, which means if you want to remain optimistic, Horton will be able to return for Game 5 of the NLDS if the Cubs move on from the opening round series against the San Diego Padres. And well more importantly that's if Horton has recovered from the injury.
So, looks like it's going to be Matthew Boyd, Shōta Imanaga and if needed Jameson Taillon in the Wild Card series next week. The Cubs still need one more win against the St. Louis Cardinals this weekend or a Padres' loss to clinch home field for the Wild Card round.
(Previous Update)
The Chicago Cubs are getting closer to clinching home field advantage for their Wild Card series that will be against the San Diego Padres, but fans are holding their breath, waiting to see the results from Cade Horton's MRI results.
The 24-year-old starter has had an amazing rookie season for the Cubs and thanks to his second-half success Horton was lining up to be the team's Game 1 starter in the postseason. He made Tuesday's start against the New York Mets, but was pulled after only three innings. The Cubs eventually revealed that Horton was removed as a precautionary measure because of tightness in his back.
After the Cubs blew a 6-1 lead and lost the series opener 9-7, Craig Counsell said Horton had been ill leading up to Tuesday's start. The initial hope was that Horton's back issue was related to the illness.
Prior to Wednesday night's game Counsell appeared on 670 The Score and said Horton was undergoing an MRI on his back.
Horton hasn't simply been the best starting pitcher for the Cubs during the past few months, the rookie right-hander has been the best starting pitcher in MLB since July. Following the worst start to his young career, a four-inning outing against the Houston Astros on June 28, when he gave up seven earned runs, Horton has recorded a 1.36 ERA in his last 14 starts.
The numbers become historic following the All-Star break as Horton posted a 1.03 ERA in 12 starts. The Cubs' rookie has not allowed more than two earned runs since July 9.
Losing Horton, even if it is only for the Wild Card series, would be a major blow to the team's chances advancing past the Padres. Is it the end of the world for the Cubs? Certainly not, but there's no denying that the team is better when Horton is on the mound.
At this point I think the best-case scenario is that Horton isn't sidelined, but needs a few extra days to recover, so if needed, he'll pitch Game 3 in the Wild Card series. We'll find out soon here what those MRI results revealed.
