The Cubs can move another step closer to locking down the top National League wild-card spot by securing a series win Thursday against the New York Mets.
Although they know their first playoff game will be Tuesday, it remains up in the air as to whether they will host the three-game wild-card series at Wrigley Field or have to head on the road.
The Sox wrap up their 2025 season this weekend with three games against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park.
Every Thursday during the regular season, Tribune baseball writers will provide an update on what happened — and what’s ahead — for the Cubs and White Sox.
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Cade Horton undergoes MRI due to back tightness
Chicago Cubs starter Cade Horton pitches during the first inning against the New York Mets at Wrigley Field on Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)
The Cubs want to make sure everything is OK with rookie right-hander Cade Horton, who could start one of their wild-card games next week.
Horton departed his start Tuesday against the Mets in the third inning because of back tightness. He got sick after his last start in Pittsburgh and had been coughing, leading to the symptoms in his back and rib cage area. Horton was a little sore on Wednesday morning and underwent an MRI. After the Cubs’ 10-3 win Wednesday over the Mets, manager Craig Counsell said Horton’s MRI results came in right before the game and they were talking to the doctors. He plans to have more information to provide Thursday.
“We took Cade out of the game last night because he was concerned and so we want to make sure as we go forward to the next step, we know that there’s nothing wrong,” Counsell said before the game. “Obviously the intensity gets ramped up and everything gets ramped up a little bit, so just make sure we know what we’re dealing with.”
With his regular season in the books, the 24-year-old Horton posted a 2.67 ERA in 118 innings (23 outings). In his standout second half, Horton recorded a 1.03 ERA in 12 starts.
The Cubs utilized a six-man rotation the last turn through and could opt to go that route to get through the final four games of the regular season. They have not officially announced who would start Game 1 in the wild-card series, in part to make sure everyone gets through their final start healthy.
“You look around the league, every team is going through this where something happened,” Counsell said. “You have to play 162 games and then things happen during the course of even the last week of the season. You just have to make sure you’re prepared for it. We’ve got to wait and see what news we get, that’s the most important thing. We want good news and then go from there.”
Andrew Benintendi sees the Sox making progress
Chicago White Sox’s Colson Montgomery celebrates with Andrew Benintendi after hitting a two-run home run during the ninth inning of a game against the Minnesota Twins on Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
The Sox were nearing a third straight 100-loss season heading into their three-game series with the New York Yankees.
But Benintendi took a step back and looked at the broader picture.
“After last year, it wasn’t hard to improve a little bit, but I think there are a lot of positives here,” the left fielder said before Tuesday’s game at Yankee Stadium. “There’s a lot of good players still in the minor leagues coming up.
“The future here is pretty bright. The pieces are here. It’s now getting the time together and playing together more.”
The Sox set the modern-day major-league record with 121 losses last season. They had a 58-100 record following Wednesday’s 8-1 loss to the Yankees.
That includes a 26-35 mark since the All-Star break. The Sox were 25-25 in the second half before dropping 10 of their next 11.
Benintendi said a power surge helped with some of the second-half gains. The Sox had 81 home runs since the All-Star break coming into Wednesday, tied for the seventh-most in the majors.
“We’ve been hitting a lot more homers this second half,” said Benintendi, who went on the injured list Tuesday. “I feel like a lot of teams now, if you want to score runs, you have to be able to hit the ball out of the ballpark.
“Guys are maturing as hitters, and taking their walks, moving runners, so kind of just doing the little things really well.”
Benintendi also pointed to the cohesiveness of the group.
“Everybody is excited to get to the field and hang out with each other, where last year, it was ‘let’s get the game over with so we can get home,’” Benintendi said. “Everybody is enjoying each other here. A lot of good friendships are being built.”
Number of the week: 14-35
With Tuesday’s 3-2 loss to the Yankees, the Sox fell to 14-35 in one-run games this season.
Week ahead: Cubs
Chicago Cubs closer Daniel Palencia pitches in the top of the ninth inning at Wrigley Field on Sept. 7, 2025, in Chicago. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)
Thursday: Mets at Cubs, 6:40 p.m., Marquee
Friday: Cardinals at Cubs, 1:20 p.m., Marquee
Saturday: Cardinals at Cubs, 1:20 p.m., Marquee
Sunday: Cardinals at Cubs, 2:20 p.m., Marquee
The Cubs activated reliever Daniel Palencia from the injured list before Wednesday’s game, marking an important return of a high-leverage arm for the bullpen.
Left-hander Jordan Wicks was optioned to the Arizona complex as the corresponding move. Counsell didn’t waste any time getting Palencia game action, bringing him in with two outs in the sixth inning. Palencia got Pete Alonso to line out and struck out Starling Marte in his first outing since Sept. 7, when he blew a save and experienced right shoulder tightness. He subsequently went on the injured list with a right shoulder strain.
Counsell isn’t worried about what situations he will use Palencia in right now.
“I just want Daniel to pitch,” Counsell said Wednesday. “We’ve got to get Daniel outings. We’ve got to get Daniel on this mound. That’s the only thing that’s important.”
Rookie outfielder Owen Caissie does not appear close to a return. Caissie is still experiencing concussion symptoms and has not been progressing. Although he’s been able to increase some activity, Counsell said Caissie hasn’t been symptom-free. That means Caissie must stop the activity until his symptoms resolve. Caissie sustained the concussion on Sept. 13.
Week ahead: White Sox
Chicago White Sox’s Shane Smith pitches during the first inning of a game against the New York Yankees on Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Thursday: at Yankees, 6:05 p.m., CHSN
Friday: at Nationals, 5:45 p.m., CHSN
Saturday: at Nationals, 3:05 p.m., CHSN
Sunday: at Nationals, 2:05 p.m., CHSN
The emergence of starter Shane Smith was one of the highlights of the season for the Sox.
The right-hander, a Rule 5 draft selection, is 6-8 with a 3.98 ERA in 28 starts. He represented the Sox at the All-Star Game.
“It’s tough to put into words right now,” Smith said when asked to reflect on his progress after allowing one run in five innings Tuesday against the Yankees. “Will probably reflect on this as the season ends and when I’m home for a couple of days and not doing anything. That’s when it will really hit me.
“But super grateful to be healthy. Super grateful for these guys. We fight, we fight our ass off.”
Smith has a team-leading 137 strikeouts in 140 1/3 innings.
“He’s a guy who really started from the bottom as far as being a Rule 5 (draft pick) and made his mark in spring training and earned his spot,” manager Will Venable said. “After watching him in spring training, we were confident he was going to have a successful year.
“Obviously got off to a great start and has finished the year nicely. A lot of growth from him in the way he prepares and goes out and executes his game plan. Great stuff all around from Shane.”
Along the way, Smith said he has learned “a lot of what you do is up to you.”
“All the things you can’t control obviously you can’t do anything about them,” Smith said. “So, making sure your T’s are crossed and your I’s are dotted and doing everything you can before a start, during a start to make sure you’re ready.”
Starters for the final series of the season against the Nationals had not been announced as of Wednesday afternoon, so it is unclear if Smith will get another start.
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Quotable
“If you’d ask anybody, we all want to have the ball in our hand, but the goal is to win. Pitchers on this team, our job is to get outs when we’re asked whether that’s a certain day or whether that’s a certain time of game or whatnot.” — Matthew Boyd on whether he’d like to start Game 1 of the wild-card series for the Cubs.