Cubs Rookie Cade Horton Can Use Crosstown Rivalry to Make Real Statement

Cade Horton is one of the most touted pitching prospects in baseball. When Shota Imanaga was placed on IL for a strained hamstring, Horton got the call, sparking exciting discussions on how he could impact the Cubs' rotation.

Horton, 23, made his debut for Chicago on Saturday against the New York Mets at Citi Field, and it was a little weird. His stat line wasn't why, as he threw for four complete innings, allowing four hits, three earned runs, and striking out five. It was a perfectly fine debut for a prospect of his caliber.

Manager Craig Counsell used reliever Brad Keller as an opener to start the game, who pitched one inning with two strikeouts before Horton was brought in. This was likely to make it so Horton wouldn't have to open his debut facing the Mets' top three hitters — Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, and Pete Alonso.

Was it to keep his confidence intact? Was it not to risk being blown up in the first inning in what couldn't have been a strenuous bullpen game? It's not clear. But it was an odd context for Horton to debut regardless.

But Horton should get another chance to make a "real" debut Friday against the lowly Chicago White Sox in the Crosstown Rivalry series. The Cubs haven't announced their probables, but that would be Horton's spot in a normal rotation.

The White Sox are the perfect soft spot for Horton to showcase his true abilities with no restrictions. According to FanGraphs, their offense ranks dead last in average and OPS and 28th in on-base percentage.

That will give Horton plenty of leeway and opportunity to be aggressive with his fastball and slider and find his rhythm on the fly against a struggling lineup.

The White Sox have subpar pitching across the board as well, so Horton should get plenty of run support form the Cubs' elite offense to have total freedom to be himself and showcase his true abilities.