Has Cade Horton been the Chicago Cubs BEST PLAYER this season?

Has Cade Horton been the Chicago Cubs BEST PLAYER this season?

Kade Horton was great again, but the Cubs come up short due to offense and what I think was a questionable decision. You are Locked on Cubs, your daily Chicago Cubs podcast, part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day. You are Locked on Cubs, part of the Locked On Network, your team every day. Alongside Sam Olber, I’m Matt Cozy. Sam and I are lifelong fans taking our passion into a discussion with you on all things Cubs. Today’s episode is presented by 5Hour Energy. Enter for a chance to win a dream golf trip to two for any golf tournament in the US of A. Visit 5hin.com for full rules and entry. No purchase necessary. Excludes the Masters. Ends October 31st, 2025. This will be our final episode of the week. will return shortly after the series finale of Cubs Nationals on Sunday. Here is today’s show in reverse order. Trivia Cubs Nationals preview. Uh weighing the possibility of a six-man rotation as the Cubs conserve pitches on a couple of these guys. minor league depth editions, injury updates, Kyle Tucker update, Kade Horton’s dominance, and we start with Cubs Braves. That was a lot. Uh, the Cubs lost to the Braves 51 Wednesday night. Kate Horton was excellent. More on him in a bit. The bullpen struggled though, especially Ben Brown. The offense was limited, Sam, and the Cubs did not complete the sweep. Yeah, I mean just offensively just another classic lowscoring effort at Wrigley. um you know, some debates about the wind, but the um it just doesn’t seem like it just I I just don’t understand this park in all seriousness because factually uh it was a helping win to right field, but there was just nothing was carrying today and it just feels like for the Cubs to win here at home, they’re going to just have to win 322143 a lot, especially in the postseason. And so with that being said, I I I fast forward to the seventh inning of a one- nothing game. And um I just it’s not the headline because I get it. Um you can’t burn through all your relievers, all this stuff. But with the day off Thursday, I thought it was pushing it to even have Ben Brown pitch in a one-run game. Then he gets out of the sixth, I I just, you know, he he starts the seventh, he gives up a hit. Uh uh he he gets it out, then a wild pitch, then a walk. And yes, it was Pomerance’s fault he gave up the big homer to Kim, but I just I’m just done with the Ben Brown experiment in 2025. I I’m not I’m not out on the young man’s future by any means, but I’ve just how how many how many innings have we seen just go ary with him on the mound or him starting an inning this year? Whether it’s bad luck, whe whatever it is, I’m just tired of it. It’s September and you know I I I got to say and maybe this is an overreaction, but I just thought with him pitching the seventh inning of a one-run game today, it just told me that Craig Council and the Cubs, they’re not overly concerned or overly serious about making a run at this division with the Brewers winning again anyway. Um because it just it just wasn’t a a win now type of move. Just wasn’t. Yeah, I I I don’t think that’s necessarily a reach to say. I I think situationally it did seem uh like they punted. With that being said, Ben Brown has followed Kate Horton before. I’m not thrilled about the piggyback option, especially when Ben Brown’s not really able to piggyback. He He only lasted what was it? Four outs. And so if he’s not even able to give length, then basically where I’m at with this is one, Ben Brown has struggled basically all year, and two, he’s really not long for for this team that is a playoff team. I don’t know if he’s going to make it the rest of the month, quite honestly. uh with Tao and Brazier and Sarroa all all going to TripleA Iowa this week on rehab appearances that we’ll get more deeds on that later. Uh but yeah, I mean outside of a few starts he’s he struggled. The Pomerance pitch there to Kim was was tough. Uh and and they they aren’t able to get the brooms out for this one. Um, and the offense is just, you know, when you have no notes in the outline about offense, what do you do? It’s going to be hard to win anyway. Uh, but but well, this lineup didn’t exactly strike a lot of fear uh uh in in in the in for Bryce Elder in company. I mean, Suzuki and Bush. And again, I’m gonna keep bringing it up like it’s just these guys, they aren’t d as dangerous a hitters at Wrigley, man. You know, it’s just you you hit some balls well, they don’t go anywhere. Uh Cubs had four hits today. Uh Willie Castro on an RBI single. I’ve been pretty hard on him. So So tip of the cap to him. Uh but yeah, I just I I just I I’d like to move on from from Ben Brown just just for this season. Um in in high high leverage spots. I get it. The piggyback. I think they will. We’ll talk about Well, well, it’s too late. I mean, you know, now I hope so. And you got guys coming up soon. Soka’s gonna be ready. Today was the last day for him and he couldn’t do it. It’s another another L. Kate Horton went five no hit innings, no runs, one walk, six strikeouts, retired the last 14 batters he faced. He is making not only a strong case rookie of the year, but he’s also been the Cubs best player in the second half. Yeah, correct me if I’m wrong. No, he’s he’s above Shaw now for sure. And at this point, he’s making a case. Uh oh. Game one. That’s the Cubs best player this year. Um, okay. This kid has been a phenom of of epic proportions. So, so I don’t disagree with you at all. Um, according uh uh to Twitter, uh Carlos Pñena, who I like I like his analysis, said that he’s the best pitcher in baseball right now. Best pitcher in the major leagues right now. Yeah, the numbers line up with it’s Horton, skins, and schoolable except one thing. He’s pitching five, six innings every time, right? So that you do I’m not disagreeing with anything you’re saying, but you do have to put that caveat in there. And so my question Well, they’re doing that so he could pitch against the Padres’s. Okay. But so my question is, do you need to see him have a seven inning start before the postseason? Because the last thing that I want to see is he’s rolling through five, six in the playoffs and he’s just not used to going deep in the games and then it kind of uh uh uh you know, unravels on him. Because I agree with everything you’re saying. I just think that, and I’m not trying to be negative. I I mean, what Kade’s doing is amazing, but it’s just throwing five innings versus seven. That’s a big difference. I believe so much in the trio, Sam, of of Keller, Theelbar, and Palencia that I six. Six is good. It’s almost a 0% that I’m concerned with that. So, six. So, you’re saying even if he went five, they might do something creative with with Assad or Rey to get to the trio. Well, not not Assad in October. Well, they might. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Why? No. I don’t want him in October. No, no. He’ll probably be on the playoff roster. We’ll see. If If they’re up 2-1 after after five against San Diego and they run out Assad in the sixth, you and I need to talk off the air. Okay. Well, well, let me get back to How about Sroa? How about Sroa? He He has really good numbers out of anybody’s name. They’re going to have to be a little different with that if they want to build a bridge to Theelbar, Keller, and Palencia. Right. Okay. Because that bridge is unclear. And don’t forget about but the the before and after is so is so clear and I’m so confident in that. Well, I throw Kitridge in that last three. There’s two there’s two. Oh, yeah. Kitridge. Yeah, you can go Kitridge. I I apologize for that. That’s on me. Yeah, you can go Kitridge. Well, just depends the pocket. If it’s a righty pocket, Kitridge. If it’s a lefty pocket, Theo Bar and then I think 89’s Auto Keller Palencia. I mean 07 RA. No, he’s been amazing. I’m not trying to take anything away from him. He’s been amazing. I just 27 on the season. I just think a big story from today’s game is no hitter after five. You pull him 75 pitches. We know that’s the organizational decision, but at what point do you want to let him go a little longer just in case? But your answer to me is does he really have to go longer? You go Kit, Steelbar, Keller, Palencia, game one. Question answered. Yeah. And and you know, Kitridge is has impressed me lately. I I am not going to include him in that that backend trio. The front end trio and back end right now. That’s why I believe they could despite the offense and the conditions they could do something cuz when Boyd Horton and Soda are on great and and when the Bar Keller and Palencia are on great. Yeah. And you put a Kitridge in there or Sarroa or Ray not Assad Rogers. Right. Right. Well well you might be right about Rogers. We’re not in the same conversation, but yeah. Uh, but Kate Horton might be the c he’s the Cubs best player right now. Yeah, I maybe I’m being I’m probably being too hard on Assad. I apologize. I just don’t want to see him in game one of a playoff game with the Cubs leading. I’m sorry. Right. Right. Right. Well, your point is taken there. All right. Coming up next, I have a question for Sam about Kyle Tucker and then we’re going to get to uh other roster updates. a bevy of minor league signings, uh the possibility of a six-man rotation because of pitch counts, Cubs Nationals preview, and trivia. A lot on the show, and it’s all coming up next. 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Visit 5hin.com for full rules and entry. No purchase necessary. Excludes the Masters. ends October 31st. Power up with fivehour energy transfusion today. All right, we’re back here on Locked on Cubs. Shout out to the Everydayers and you can become a Locked On Cubs Everydayer by joining us for every episode throughout the week. Sam, if Kyle Tucker can’t play Friday, do you expect the Cubs to place him on the IIL? It didn’t sound bad today uh uh from from them. So, no. Um but no, because he’s starting to hit the ball well. Go. But I will say this with their attitude today and now they’re now they’re six back. So now, you know what I mean? The urgency level isn’t that big anymore. I mean, you want to close out that spot, but it seems, don’t you feel like they talked it down today? I mean, for what it’s worth or Yeah, I do. And even last night, I was based on what they said last night, uh, I was encouraged to to hear that and then certainly the followup today. But I do see a path where you we do get an IIL trip for him. Okay. And it would be retroactive to today. Uh, if my math is right, he would come back on on September 13th against the Rays. So today today would be his first day on the be the first day. You have to do 10 total. Yep. And if he comes back that weekend against the Rays, then there’s 15 games left still. And that’s in theory plenty of time to to get uh going before the playoffs. Um well, they must have a lot of days coming up. It’s such a delicate situation because you really don’t want him to miss the 10 the 10 days cuz that’s like eight games and I I mean the first break that he had did help. Uh he’s he he’s hot now. Um, but but man, if there’s a time to be conservative, I do wonder just like with saving bullets on the mound with some of these guys, you know, if you’re going to do it, just decide now. Um, you know, you’re 10 you’re six games out of the division. You’re 10 games up on a playoff spot and yeah, you want the first spot in the wild card, but you do have a lot of elbow room here. Yeah. And uh I guess I’m talking myself out of it because Saturday, it would be Saturday against the Rays, I think, if you’re Yeah, it would. And they just they just seem so indecisive. So, we’ll see. Um I guess I was indecisive with my answer, but So was I. I I don’t know. I mean, the answer is this. This is the answer. If it’s gonna harm, we want him healthy. If it’s going to harm his play, if he’s not if he’s not going to be at least 90 95%, then do it. There it is. But if it’s if it’s something real, if it’s just something where he just needed a day cuz according to him, and this is where it gets tricky. He said it’s been bothering him for a few days, right? Or or did council say that? That might have been council. No, he did. Oh, he said that. So he said they don’t have a great track record on this. So if it’s been bothering him for a few days and he was able to hit a 385 ft home run to left field, then Crazy. So, I don’t know. It’s It’s really tricky. Yeah, my guess my guess is he doesn’t go to the IIL. That’d be my guess. Uh, by the way, Cubs five four games up on the Padres’s. Yeah, my Padres’s are struggling. Yeah, two and eight in their last 10, five over the Mets. Um, the Mets are surging with with that idea of Oh, I love to play the Mets at Wrigley with the idea of the Oh, wow. Love that series. Like that matchup a lot. You got you got two lefties to try and neutralize Sodto. Uh um you know Holmes Sanga Peterson. Peterson would scare me a little bit. Uh but but you know Holmes ground ball guy play some hit and run. Take advantage of the win. I don’t know. I’m good with that. Absolutely. Well, that’s that’s gets me excited. Uh do we root against the Do we root for the Padres’s to lose then? Well, I mean I’ve been doing that all you know. Of course, I’m rooting for all of them. The same the same the same mechanic. Well, don’t forget you play the Mets then the second to last uh series. That’s a little weird with some wildcard cushion and with Boyd Horton and really I would include Shota too uh to to limit starter innings. When Tyion is ready next week, do I I feel like the Cubs should go to the six-man rotation. What about you? H Yeah, why not? Why not? Yeah, they should. Yeah, get some extra rest for K. Get some extra rest for Boy. Get some extra rest for Shota. That that that’s that’s the purpose, right? Go Cubs. Absolutely. Okay. And I And Sroka uh uh Sroa, you heard it here first from the writing show. Go ahead. Uh so say it one more time. So, Sarroka uh would uh and then Soroka replaces Brown out of the pen. Uh oh. Yeah. I mean, Brown, you know, we might not see him in a uniform. There’s some good Sroa bullpen stuff. I’ll read to you at a different time. Yeah. Well, he threw a pen Tuesday. Yeah. He But like I’m talking about in his in his past. He’s he’s a different guy. That’s right. He’s he’s done well there. Sure. Yeah. Um, so Tyion is rehabbing Thursday at Triple A. Brazier is joining Friday. Soka is next scheduled to pitch on Saturday and that could be a triple A too. And John Leieber will be getting up. What’ you say? And then John Lever, too. I mean, how many pitchers they have? He threw a two inning live BP session Tuesday at Wrigley. He felt good. Also, Miguela Maya is playing games in the Arizona Complex League. He’s still on track to return later this month. Wow. Who out of that foresome? Sounds like you you you’ve been either doing homework or warming up on Sarroa or both, but who out of Tyion, Sarroka, Brazier, and Amaya. Who do you think helps the Cubs the most? Because I really think I mean Tyion because he pitches more. Um, Sarroa. I think it might be Sarroa even though we just haven’t seen him. Cubs could use a little bullpen guy. That guy is so valuable in October. And you’re selling me on him as a bridge guy. Well, if you just get deep into October, you’re gonna have the middle closer. The middle closer. You’re going to have a dude that needs to go two innings or three innings here and there. Um, you know, so I I think Soka and Amaya, too. I mean, Amaya. Yeah. By the way, the fact that he’s even playing games, I mean, when I saw that injury, I mean, that’s that’s a win right there. Yeah. He hit a home run at Sloan the other day. That’s a win right there. Uh, okay. Also, the Cubs this week signed three these three players to minor league deals, folks. Joe Ross, Austin Gomber, and Billy Hamilton. Ros Gamber will be starters at TripleA, while Ham Hamilton offers a speed option off the bench. Gomber already pitched Tuesday, went five scoreless for the Iubs. Hamilton Sam last played in the bigs in 2023 and in 2020 he played 14 games for the Cubs. He’s been playing in the Mexican League where he stole seven bases in just 10 games this year. Hey, listen. If he could still run, you know, you know my policy. I think any good playoff team or your team that wants to go deep, you want to have a good pinch runner off the bench. Well, if he can still run and and read uh pitchers, well, maybe he is the 26 man. But you just need to make sure you have whoever he’s pring for, whoever he’s pinch running for, you replace him right away on the next half inning defensively, right? Right. He can’t He can’t I mean, he could maybe play the outfield, but he can’t hit. Right. It’s like the Terren Gore thing. He could not come up as a hitter. No. Also, Jackson Wiggins was promoted from double to triple AAA Wednesday. 68 and oneird innings for the Cubs top pitching prospect. Only 35 hits and 14 runs. He does has walked 30 uh but struck out 83. TripleA ends on the 21st, so there isn’t much time for all these guys. So, we’ll see what happens uh with that. All right, coming up next we have Cubs Nationals trivia and more. This episode is brought to you by Game Time. There’s nothing like catching a baseball game live. The energy, the crowd, the chance to see your team in person, but actually getting tickets, that’s the tough part. Cues, login screen, surprise fees, it takes all the fun out of it. That’s why I use Game Time, the app that gives the advantage back to fans. Game time is fast, easy, and backed by the game time guarantee. You always get 100% authentic tickets delivered on time and at the best price. Plus, all fees are included, so the price you see is the price you pay. I’ve used Game Time for every Cub game that I’ve been to. Uh, it’s the best. You You get tickets right away. You could literally wait up to first pitch. The prices go down. Fees are included. Know your total upfront with no surprise fees at checkout. 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The Nats are now 56 and 83 since the Cubs played them. Wow. Earlier this year. Not sure what their plan is moving forward, but uh well, usually when you when you fire your GM mid-season, you know, it’s No, it’s a bad sign. Not typically going well. No, it’s a bad sign for sure. Sweep the series. Um, that would be great. Uh, I Uh, you know, I I don’t know. I don’t know what else what else to to say about this. I’d love to see you stack some wins and and and and sweep um you know, Assad pitching Friday, but I mean, you these games are all probably going to be for the most part lowcoring whether you know it’s fall. Uh I think the big the the big headline for me, Matt, and by the way, we’re previewing this this this today because we’re not doing a show. This is going to be our last show of the week. Um, right. Matthew Boyd needs to have a good outing Saturday. Um, you know, we we’ve we’ve debated uh, you know, on the show is is is he fading or is it just bad luck? Well, Saturday will kind of be the telt. If he can’t dominate a nationals lineup in in good pitching conditions most likely, um, then then that’s now something we got to discuss, uh, in my opinion. So, I think that’s the headline for me. Saturday’s game while the Ali are playing Duke uh in Durham. Uh will uh will Matthew Boyd be able to to have a vintage six and two/3 one earned performance, eightks in a 7-1 victory? I believe they’ve lost seven of his last eight starts, something like that. Um so I think it’s important that he pitches well this weekend. Absolutely. and uh 11:10 a.m. Central is Iowa Iowa State uh as well as uh we’re the fall, it really is fall and we will be doing a show Monday night uh while the Bears are playing. So if you Oh yeah, if you want to stay away from that Cubs Braves, you know, and you want if you want to just if you want to go against the grain Monday night, you know, uh uh you know, if you want to be a little bit different, if you want to not do what everybody else is doing, join us Monday night after the Cubs go to uh what is it? Truis Park now they call it. Uh you instead of watching the Bears because you know that’s a big game in Atlanta. I have to imagine Javi and the pitching infrastructure has been working with Boyd all week and and they’re they’re optimistic about a bounce back as well. I don’t think they’re doing a lot of work with him. That is that well they need to Okay, they need they not a lot but some. Right. Uh it’s important that he does get back on track and and you know quite frankly if that doesn’t happen at Wrigley that is that is a bigger story because this Boyd is Did you realize he’s undefeated at Wrigley? Why? No. What do you mean undefeated? Like his his his record? His his record. What is What is he like eight and0? 10. W. Oh my. Who is the last pitcher? What a transition. For an undefeated run at Wrigley. Oh boy. For a season. Let me take a look at this. I don’t think it’s Hendrickx, isn’t it? This is for a nine star stint. Uh, yeah, it’s for the season. I’m sorry. For the season, right? This So, it’s not Hendrickx. No, because I remember he was real dominant at home and trade trade deadline. Trade deadline. Trade deadline would be a a clue. A loose clue. It’s not Arietta. Um, trade deadline. Cole Hamls. Well, I don’t know if it was at the deadline, but he was traded during the year. Traded to a different team or brought here? Brought here. Okay. So, he was brought here and he Oh, so he did that that Oh, okay. So, it was a shortened season for him at Wrigley. Rich Harden. No, that’s a great call. I enjoyed watching him pitch. It’s actually quite a while ago. Oh, okay. Rick Sutcliffe. That’s correct. Sam Carlos Santana. We’re doing two trivia. Yeah. Wow. I really want to end on a high note here. Well, I thought I thought that Suckliffe was decent. I mean, it was, but I I I I baseball’s been around a long time. We haven’t done trivia in a while. Okay. Carlos Carlos Santana is wearing number 41 for the Cubs. He’s the 10th play. Are you good with jersey numbers? I’m terrible with jersey numbers. Okay. Well, then Matt Caesar. Matt Caesar’s correct. There’s only Okay, so eight more guys. I I remember him wearing 41. Um I’m really bad with jersey numbers. I mean, some of these names are so random. I I forget it. I don’t know. Is there anybody The next guy after Caesar you should get and I can give you a clue. You just give me a time frame. Time frame. World Series. So bad with jersey numbers. Uh so 41’s got to be Is it a reliever? No. Who wore 41? Monto haircut. John Lackey. John Lackey. And that clue was quoting John Lackey. Yeah, I’m back. Jersey numbers are a real weakness of mine. Also our locked on Cubs MVP in 2022. Do you remember who that was? Yeah. Adrien Samson. Adrien Samson. I believe he was our pitcher MVP and our hitter MVP was Raphael Ortega. Was he? No, I thought we gave it to Hap. Okay. Well, what is what a turnaround you know this team has had. Yeah. Right. Over the show. That’s funny. Uh let’s see. Also, Michael Sarroka this year. War 41. Steve Cashek. H and uh Jorge Lopez last year, Sam. Also a few others that uh Yeah, that’s that’s that’s above above my All right. Well, I should have skipped that. And no, I I’m not it’s just Hey, listen. You know, I’m not good with jersey numbers. Um that’s all right. You can’t you can’t win them all, you know. Just uh This is Locked On Cubs, part of the Locked On podcast network. your team every day where we talk all things wind wd. For your second listen, check out the allne college football kickoff. It’s another big moment here at Locked On. College football fans, Locked On and Fire TV present college football kickoff, your ultimate college football weekly preview. Drake Tol of Locked on Big 12 leads the conversation alongside two-time AP coach of the year Gary Patterson. Former College star Jesse Holly and Lockd On’s local experts a college football preview only locked on can do. Catch college football kickoff every Thursday throughout the year only on Fire TV. Oh, we’ll be back Sunday after Cubs Nationals. He’s Sam Wbert. I’m Matt Cozy. This is Locked on Cub. Shout out to Matt Cozy and Sam Olber, host of my favorite podcast, Locked on Cubs.

Find out why Cade Horton might be the best player on the 2025 Cubs. Plus: Cubs/Braves recap, Kyle Tucker rumblings, injury updates, minor league signings, the possibility of a 6-man rotation, Cubs/Nationals preview, trivia, and more.

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