CHICAGO — A fast start by the White Sox on Friday spoiled any thoughts the Cubs had of kicking off the second series of the Crosstown Classic in strong fashion.

An early threat by the South Siders on Saturday threatened to unravel things again.

But Cade Horton showed the moxie he’s developed over the last few outings – one that’s grown ever since his clunker in Houston – and turned in one of his best starts of the year, sparking the Cubs to a 6-1 win over the White Sox at Rate Field.

More importantly, though, the performance by Horton showed his continued development at the major-league level, something that will benefit both him and his team as they chase down a division title and a deep run into the playoffs.

Horton allowed a one-out walk to Chase Meidroth and a single to Andrew Benintendi that brought some early energy to the split crowd of 38,432 at Rate Field. Horton, though, didn’t panic.

“I just feel like, every time I go out there, I try to just execute a pitch and really slow the game down,” the Cubs rookie and former top pitching prospect said.

That mindset worked. Horton induced an inning-ending, 6-4-3 double play that was the jumping off point to 6.1 scoreless innings in the win.

Baseball is an everyday game with plenty of failure. Have a bad day? Turn the page because there’s a game tomorrow to do it all over again. Of course, that mentality is easier said than done. But for the rookie, he has the veteran-esque knack to be able to do just that.

“He’s not going to let the previous pitch affect the next pitch – and that’s a real skill,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “I’m saying that as a compliment, because that’s hard to do in this game. I think Cade’s excellent at it, and it contributes to his success.”

That confidence began to bud deep in the heart of Texas after a stinker against the Astros – Horton allowed seven earned runs on eight hits, walked four and pitched just four innings, seeing his ERA jump to 4.80 and leaving a thin rotation with more question marks than solutions.

“I got my a– kicked today,” Horton said in front of his locker in the visiting clubhouse at Daikin Park. “It was the first time I wasn’t able to slow the game down. I let my emotions get the best of me today, and I have to learn from it and move on.

“I’ve been in this spot before, and you have to take it for a grain of salt and learn from it and move on.”

Boy, did he ever. Since that low point, Horton has turned in scoreless outings in three of his four starts and has a 1.52 ERA and 1.06 WHIP in that span.

“You gain confidence through this. You believe in your stuff. You know it’s good enough,” Counsell said. “You have outings, like the last seven to 10 starts, and they’re not all good, but you take what you need to learn from the ones that aren’t so good. And there’s stuff you learn from even the ones like tonight.

“He continues to do that, and that’s what kind of keeps pushing him forward and keeps getting him better.”

What’s changed since that outing in Houston?

“Having conviction in my fastball, really,” Horton said. “Being able to throw it to the target and have conviction behind it. And I think that’s been the biggest thing for me.”

Cade Horton didn’t feel he had the best command of his offspeed.

He took a shutout into the 7th without allowing a BB 😳 pic.twitter.com/jG6PeKkuEp

— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) July 27, 2025

The Cubs will almost certainly add pitching depth, especially in the rotation, before Thursday’s trading deadline, and they could have a couple of internal additions in Javier Assad and Jameson Taillon nearing returns, too, which could help the right-hander.

Horton, after all, pitched just 34.1 innings last season due to injuries and entered 2025 with just 205.1 innings under his belt since 2022 across college and the minor leagues. So the Cubs might want to play it safe with their young pitcher and manage his workload.

Regardless, Horton’s development is massive for the club.

“I think his mound presence is really impressive. Just his ability to stay in the moment and not let something rattle him.”

Ian Happ on Cade Horton 🔥 pic.twitter.com/awnZdDWDkd

— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) July 27, 2025

This month has shown he can be an “out-getter” as Counsell calls his pitchers. As the season winds down, roles are less important. Having someone like Horton who features a four-seam fastball that averages 95.7 mph with some cutting action, a wipeout slider and a changeup that’s become a weapon against left-handed hitters, is a major asset for the Cubs’ second-year manager.

Could Horton start a playoff game? If he keeps that up, probably. Could he pitch in shorter bursts in relief? Almost certainly. Is he becoming an intriguing option for Counsell and the Cubs that is ready for either role in big games?

“For sure,” Horton said. “Everything’s a learning experience. And so now it’s just all about stacking good ones and continuing to find ways to get better.

“My stuff wasn’t as sharp as I wanted it to be today, but I was still able to go out there and give six. And so, I feel like that’s a huge building curve.”