Cubs to be down one key pitcher for wild-card series against Padres

Cade Horton was on track to finish high in ROTY voting

Not having Horton for their big series against the Padres will be a blow, as he gave the Cubs a solid top three next to Matthew Boyd — a first-time All-Star in 2025 — and Shota Imanaga. 

Horton has had an impressive rookie season, posting an 11-4 record with a 2.67 ERA in 118.0 innings, and will likely finish in the top five in the National League Rookie of the Year voting, with the Atlanta Braves' Drake Baldwin looking like the favorite to win it. Baldwin hit .275 with an .808 OPS, 19 home runs, and 80 RBI in 122 games (95 at catcher).

The odds are against the Chicago Cubs

The Cubs already had a depleted rotation entering the wild-card round, as they did little to address it during the offseason or the trade deadline. The big move made by president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer at the deadline was to acquire Michael Soroka, who has since dealt with injury issues, from the Washington Nationals.

Compared to the Padres' rotation, which features a solid top four of Michael King, Dylan Cease, Yu Darvish and Nick Pivetta, the Cubs have an average to below-average rotation, with Imanaga and Boyd now having added pressure to perform in Games 1 and 2. Horton would’ve made it competitive and given the Cubs a right-hander to break up their two lefties. 

With Imanaga and Boyd starting the first two games, someone else, like Colin Rea, Javier Assad or Jameson Taillon, may need to step up and win Game 3 to advance the Cubs to the NLDS should they split the first two games.