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The Chicago Cubs lost a rough one on Friday, dropping a 2-1 nail-biter in the 10th inning.
It was especially rough since it was actually a winnable contest against Pirates ace Paul Skenes, arguably the best pitcher in all of baseball.
Fans would’ve been forgiven if they had simply chalked up Friday’s game as an “L” beforehand and focused their hopes on Saturday. The 23-year-old Pittsburgh phenom came into the contest with a miniscule 1.88 ERA and a reputation for shutting down the most potent of offenses.
And, Friday, he was every bit as tough as expected, shutting the North Siders out over 5 innings pitched.
Going toe-to-toe with Paul Skenes
But the Cubs actually had a chance to win that game because rookie Cade Horton was going toe-to-toe with Skenes, matching– and surpassing– the top pitcher’s top-tier performance.
In 5.2 innings pitched, the 23-year-old Horton allowed just 3 hits and 1 walk while also shutting out his opposition.
In just his seventh major league appearance, matched against a legitimate Cy Young-level star, Chicago’s top pitching prospect looked like an ace, himself. And that leads to the possibility that Horton has found his big league stride and has taken that big step forward in his development, moving towards full self-actualization as a high-end starting pitcher.
Cade Horton wants all the smoke
“It’s fun. Iron sharpens iron,” Horton told reporters after Friday’s game, referring to his duel with Skenes. “Being able to compete against him was really fun. And hopefully, we’re doing it for a lot of years…I’m not scared of the moment. I love the moment — just going out there and competing.”
The young pitcher’s “want all the smoke” attitude has been duly noted since he arrived in the majors in early May, rushed up into service after Cubs ace Shota Imanaga was placed on the IL due to a hamstring injury. At the time, Horton was killing it at Triple-A, posting a 1.24 ERA in 6 starts for the Iowa Cubs. If not for the Imanaga injury, he might still be killing it in Triple-A.
But fate is fate and, ready or not, Horton’s time would be now. He’s responded well, inching forward in his development as a pitcher and currently posting a 3.47 ERA in 36.1 big league innings.
“He’s pitching really well,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell told media after Friday’s performance. “He’s locked in and he’s delivering good outings. He’s efficient. His stuff plays in the strike zone, which is such an important thing for a young pitcher to feel. I look forward to giving him the ball the next time.”
The rough road here
The young talent’s time in the pitching spotlight, dating back to college, has not afforded him an easy road to the top.
Selected by the Cubs in the first round in 2022, the decision raised eyebrows because, at the time, he wasn’t too far removed from the 2021 Tommy John surgery that shut him down as a college freshman in Oklahoma.
Last season, his year ended in late May due to a subscapularis strain in his right shoulder.
Up until the emergency call-up in May, pretty much everybody in the Cubs organization was talking up Horton’s ability, but playing down the possibility that he’d be playing a big role in the Cubs starting rotation this season. He had just logged too few pro innings and was coming off a serious season-ending injury.
He’s definitely been a pleasant surprise for a Cubs team dealing with a decimated starting rotation. The best part is that he actually appears to be trending upward in terms of his performances.
There’s no doubt that the Cubs have needed what Horton has given them. The team is hoping that Friday’s outing was just the tip of the iceberg.
More must-reads:
- New Angels pitcher Grayson Rodriguez reveals interesting health update after Orioles trade
- Raisel Iglesias spurned Dodgers to remain with Braves
- The 'NFL single-game completions leaders' quiz
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Meet Nick Allen, Houston Astros’ Newest Infielder After Late Night Trade
As many were laying their heads to rest for the evening last night the Atlanta Braves and Houston Astros were making moves. The two organizations decided to swap infielders as the Astros sent second baseman Mauricio Dubón to Atlanta in exchange for one of their infielders, Nick Allen. Dubón is further along in his career than Allen meaning he will hit free agency after the 2026 season so while this trade may seem on the more insignificant side it is crucial to the Astros cash flow in the coming years. Houston should save several million in the difference in the arbitration costs of the two players. Now that is has come official there are many fans asking about Allen as the Braves aren't even in the same league, let alone division. Who is Nick Allen? Allen is actually a player who was drafted straight out of high school, so even though he had committed to playing at the University of Southern California, he chose the professional life right off the bat as he was drafted in 2017 by the Oakland Athletics. It was not until 2022 that the 27-year-old made his debut (for the Athletics), but it is safe to say that he never quite found his swing with that ballclub. He took on a heavy work load for the Athletics for two years, but after struggling at the plate he spent most of 2024 on Triple-A. This isn't actually the first time in his career that Allen has been traded as the Athletics decided to trade him around this time last year to the Braves for a pitcher, but his tenure in Atlanta has now come to a close and he is officially with the Astros. Allen's stats from last season don't exactly jump off the page by any means, but remember neither did Dubón. After playing in 135 games for the Braves he finished with a .221 batting average, 11 doubles, 22 RBI, 31 drawn walks and 8 stolen bases. While Allen's offensive numbers don't draw much attention his ability to make plays when he's on defense definitely do which is why he was named a finalist for the NL Gold Glove Award at shortstop. By the end of 2025 he ended up fourth in the rankings in Outs Above Average (17). The Astros will be making many moves in the upcoming months as missing out on the playoffs is not an option in 2026. This year was anything but acceptable for management and that means they have to plenty to address this offseason. While this wasn't a big move it does definitely matter as the 2026 chess game starts to unfold.
Three teams getting too much credit from College Football Playoff committee
The College Football Playoff committee released its latest set of rankings on Tuesday night without too many surprises. Oklahoma was the biggest mover, going up to No. 8 after a road win over Alabama, which dropped to No. 10. The Crimson Tide are effectively holding onto the last playoff spot. Miami, the top-ranked ACC team, is projected to get that league's spot for now, while Tulane would get the last automatic berth, going to the fifth-highest-ranked conference champion. That leaves BYU and Utah on the outside looking in. Vanderbilt, USC, Georgia Tech and Michigan are some other teams looming. USC can make a statement this weekend, with a road win over Oregon. The Ducks are ranked seventh, while USC is 15th. For the Trojans, a win this week likely catapults them into the top 10. It could also expose a top-10 team that doesn't have the resume of a top-10 team. Three teams are being overvalued by the College Football Playoff committee, and the list starts with Oregon. Oregon (No. 7) The Ducks have beaten up on some weak opponents, but their best wins this season were an ugly victory at Iowa and a 20-point road win over Northwestern. They don't have a single win over a currently ranked team. Alabama has beaten two teams in the top 14 and four in the top 25. Oregon passes the eye test. But it feels like the Ducks are getting too much credit for a win at Penn State that's not all that impressive, and a close home loss to Indiana, something the Ducks share with Iowa. Oregon has looked great at times. It also looked unimpressive in a 21-7 win over 3-7 Wisconsin. Saturday's game will answer some questions, yet the Ducks are being overvalued by the committee. Tennessee (No. 20) Strength of schedule should matter, but not when the College Football Playoff committee is artificially pumping up the schedule strength of one conference in particular: the SEC. The five teams in the top 10 are worthy. It's hard to argue against them. But outside of that, the SEC feels propped up. Tennessee, for instance, hasn't beaten a single team with a winning record this season. Losing to Georgia in overtime and to Oklahoma by single digits isn't a good enough reason to be ranked. Missouri (No. 22) Like Tennessee, the best achievement of the Missouri Tigers has been losing to ranked teams. SMU, from the ACC, has a similar record. It has three losses to teams with winning records, plus a win over No. 13 Miami, a better win than Tennessee or Missouri, yet the Mustangs didn't crack the top 25. No. 23 Houston is 8-2. The Cougars lost to fifth-ranked Texas Tech earlier in the season, plus to West Virginia. They also beat 25th-ranked Arizona State on the road, yet are ranked behind two teams that haven't beaten a single team with a winning record. It feels like the College Football Playoff committee continues to favor the SEC, but it's about more than that. Too much is being based on the eye test. That's why Oregon is ranked where it's at and some SEC teams, too. The resume should matter above everything. Performance on the field should be the determining factor, but once again, that doesn't appear to be the case.
There's 'already chatter' Vikings could make Mac Jones call amid J.J. McCarthy's struggles
The ongoing struggles of second-year pro J.J. McCarthy have already sparked conversations among the NFL community about how the Minnesota Vikings might manage their quarterback situation next year. On Wednesday, NFL insider Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk shared an interesting update regarding the Vikings' plans beyond January. Why Mac Jones could be an option for the Vikings According to Florio, "there’s already chatter in some circles that" the Vikings will explore trading for San Francisco 49ers backup Mac Jones during the offseason. Jones signed a two-year deal with the 49ers in March and, per Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, is under contract for $4.66M for the 2026 season. Breer also linked Jones with the Vikings. Jones went 5-3 across eight starts with the 49ers this season in place of QB1 Brock Purdy, who was dealing with a toe injury. Purdy inked a massive extension with the 49ers last offseason, and there's no indication he's in any danger of losing the starting job to Jones. Meanwhile, McCarthy has made just five career regular-season starts after he missed time this fall due to an ankle injury. The 2024 first-round draft pick spent his entire rookie campaign recovering from a full meniscus repair. According to Pro Football Reference, McCarthy heads into Week 12 ranked last in the NFL among qualified players with a 26.6 adjusted QBR, a 61.7 passer rating and a 52.9 percent completion percentage. He's 2-3 as a starter, while Minnesota is 4-6. Could history repeat itself for Vikings? Last year, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell repeatedly said that spending the 2023 season working with 49ers head coach and offensive guru Kyle Shanahan helped current Seattle Seahawks starting quarterback Sam Darnold experience a necessary career reset. With Darnold in the lineup, the 2024 Vikings finished 14-3 before losing in the wild-card round of the playoffs. Breer mentioned that the Vikings trading for Jones would "be a way to bring in competition for J.J. McCarthy and provide a layer of insurance at an affordable rate for a loaded roster, should McCarthy not ascend through the rest of this season." In short, it sounds like McCarthy will be playing for more than just wins from Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers (6-3-1) through Week 18. As of Wednesday afternoon, ESPN BET had the Vikings as six-point underdogs against the Packers.
Steve Spurrier has two endorsements for next Florida HC
Steve Spurrier is a legend for the Florida Gators. Known as "the head ball coach" down in SEC-land, Spurrier was a star both as a player and as a coach for Florida. Heck, the dang field in Gainesville is named after him. That means what he says about the Florida program carries a lot of weight, and he recently revealed that he believes there are only two people who would live up to the expectations and be a great fit for the Gators as they look to replace fired head coach Billy Napier sooner rather than later. “I know Lane Kiffin and I know Eli Drinkwitz,” Spurrier recently said, according to Daniel Hager of On3. “Obviously, either one of those guys would be super if it works out. But, it’s a long way from whoever we’re going to get as our coach right now.” The Gators are currently making a full-court press for Lane Kiffin, but they're not alone in their pursuit of the Ole Miss head coach. While the Gators reportedly flew members of Kiffin's family down to Gainesville to check things out recently, the LSU Tigers also pulled the same trick — hoping to get Kiffin to ultimately come down to Baton Rouge. LSU is probably Florida's biggest competitor for Kiffin right now, but there's also Ole Miss to consider. It's not like the Rebels are going to let a coach who has led them to a 54-19 record over the past six seasons go without a fight. Kiffin would absolutely be a home-run hire for the Gators, though. He's a high-level recruiter and a high-level offensive mind in the SEC. Those are two things that the Gators desperately need in the wake of the middling Napier era. Not only that, but Kiffin has ties to the state. He was the head coach at Florida Atlantic from 2017-19. Eli Drinkwitz an interesting option for Florida if it can't land Lane Kiffin Drinkwitz is another interesting option, though. You'll also notice that there's a trend here for Florida, and that's going after established SEC head coaches. Napier had come from the Sun Belt conference. Drinkwitz has made Missouri a tough out in the SEC, and he's won a ton of football games. His overall record at Mizzou is 45-27, though his record in big games does leave a little to be desired. He's 7-14 against ranked opponents and 0-7 against top-10 teams. Still, Drinkwitz is a young coach at just 42, so the upside is there. He's a big personality who does well on the recruiting trail, and he could do a lot of good things with the firepower of the Florida Gators behind him. There are other options out there for Florida. Washington head coach Jedd Fisch is a Florida alumnus, for instance. If Spurrier has narrowed it down to Kiffin and Drinkwitz in his mind, though, you can bet those in power at Florida are likely thinking the same thing.
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