Cade Horton injury: Cubs pitcher likely out of MLB playoffs through NLDS after suffering broken rib

The Chicago Cubs will be without rookie righty Cade Horton likely through at least the National League Division Series. Chicago placed Horton on the 15-day injured list with a right rib fracture, the team announced Saturday. The move is retroactive to Sept. 25. Lefty Jordan Wicks was called up in a corresponding move.

“The honest answer is I don’t think we know,” manager Alex Cora said Saturday (via ESPN). “He was sick in Cincinnati. With that there was coughing. Whether that did it or not we don’t know. There was no acute event that we know of, just that his ribs were sore.”

Horton exited his Sept. 23 start with soreness in his side and Counsell admitted tests revealed “some areas of concern.” There was some hope Horton would be able to pitch in the Wild Card Series, which begins Tuesday. Instead, the earliest he can come off the 15-day injured list is Friday, Oct. 10. Here is the postseason schedule:

Players can not be added to the postseason roster in the middle of a series unless they replacing an injured player. The Cubs could not activate Horton on Oct. 10, the first day he is eligible, and start him in Game 5 of the NLDS on Oct. 11, barring another injury. MLB must approve all roster substitutions in the postseason.

According to the Baseball Prospectus Recovery Database, pitchers with a rib fracture missed an average of 88 days from 2021-24. The shortest absence was 41 days. Obviously the severity of the fracture will play a role in determining how long Horton will be sidelined. Generally speaking though, rib fractures are not a short-term injury. 

Horton, 24, made his MLB debut on May 10 and he’s had a terrific rookie season, making 22 starts with a 2.67 ERA in 118 innings. If healthy, there was a chance Horton would start Game 1 of the Wild Card Series. This is Chicago’s rotation at the moment:

Boyd and Imanaga are lined up to start Games 1 and 2 of the Wild Card Series in that order. Rea is lined up for Game 3, though the Cubs could move things around. Besides, Game 3 would be a win or go home game with all hands on deck. Whoever starts that game doesn’t figure to have the longest leash.

The Cubs are locked into a Wild Card Series matchup with the San Diego Padres. That series is likely to be played at Wrigley Field, though that is not clinched yet. The winner of that series will play the No. 1 seed, likely the Milwaukee Brewers but possibly the Philadelphia Phillies, in the NLDS.

Source link