CHICAGO -- This week has not only been about the beginning of the Cubs’ quest to return to the postseason after last fall’s October experience. In light of the six-year extension with center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and the reported long-term agreement with second baseman Nico Hoerner, it has also been very much about the future state of the core.
The North Siders have an established infield group locked in place between third baseman Alex Bregman, shortstop Dansby Swanson and Hoerner. Crow-Armstrong is not going anywhere soon, while first baseman Michael Busch is also under control for multiple years. On the pitching front, Cade Horton gives the Cubs another crucial building block.
“It’s really cool,” Horton said after leading the Cubs to a 10-2 win over the Nationals on Saturday. “I feel like it just allows us to build a better relationship with the guys around us, just knowing that they’re going to be here.
“Those are the guys that are going to be in the dog days, the good days, the highs, the lows. … We have a foundation. Now it’s all about focusing on the day to day.”
Horton took the mound at Wrigley Field on Saturday and the 24-year-old righty helped guide the North Siders to their first win in this season full of heightened expectations. He worked quickly, relying heavily on his defense in an efficient outing that lasted into the seventh inning.
Craig Counsell said the righty could have gone longer, but the Cubs manager played things conservatively. It was a great start to Horton’s first full season in the Major Leagues, following his brilliant debut for the Cubs last year.
Horton reached Chicago in May last season and swiftly established himself as a key part of a rotation dealing with injuries at the time. After the All-Star break, he really hit his stride, logging a 1.03 ERA in a dozen starts in the second half and finishing as the runner-up in balloting for the National League Rookie of the Year.
Against the Nationals, Horton struck out four and walked one over 6 1/3 innings, scattering four hits before being lifted at 75 pitches. Horton was perfect through the first three innings, needing only 28 pitches to get through Washington’s order in that span. In the fourth, James Wood ended that run with an opposite-field, solo blast to left.
With the Cubs’ offense offering a wealth of support -- scoring four runs in the second and another four in the sixth (powered by a three-run shot from Ian Happ) -- Horton remained in control throughout his outing. The righty generated 10 outs via ground balls, including a pair of inning-ending double plays.
“It was really an outing that we saw a bunch last year,” Counsell said, “where he was just so good with being in the strike zone, getting early outs in counts in the strike zone. It leads to very low pitch counts.”
Horton leaned on his four-seamer, changeup and sweeper most often in his season debut, while also working in his sinker and curveball. Knowing he had to maximize efficiency to work deep into the game, Horton teased contact rather than trying to work into counts to set up potential strikeouts.
“I’m impressed with the attitude and the demeanor,” Happ said, “and the ability to throw strikes, get ahead in counts, trust it. He has really good stuff. It’s tough to square up. If he gets the ball in play -- you saw it all day today, our defense was making great plays left and right.”
After facing two batters in the seventh, Horton headed off the mound to an ovation, along with a franchise record for consecutive starts (13) with no more than two runs allowed. The previous mark of 12 was set by Ed Reulback in 1909. Horton’s 1.75 ERA at Wrigley is also the lowest for a Cubs pitcher in his first 12 home starts since 1913 (1.55 ERA by George Pierce).
"He's such a good pitcher, he really is,” Nationals manager Blake Butera said. “And we knew that coming into this. It's big stuff. He's a competitor on the mound, too.”
If the Cubs are going to get to where they want to go in October this year, it will likely mean Horton continued to grow into a cornerstone ace.
“He’s going to be a huge part of it,” Happ said. “He’s going to take the ball every fifth day, and we need him. We need him to be the [best] version of himself. It’s been impressive to watch. And he’s going to continue to get better. That’s the fun part about having a guy like him on the staff.”