Cade Horton strong in 2026 debut, leads Cubs to 10-2 win over Nationals

Before their 10-2 win Saturday over the Nationals, Cubs manager Craig Counsell said he could remember one or two starts when Cade Horton struggled last season. Because of how nonlinear development is, Counsell predicted Horton would have more bumpy games in 2026, perhaps on consecutive outings.

Dealing with the occasional failures, Counsell said, could be a challenge Horton faces this year.

“It’s adjusting to that and going from that. Cade handles that part really well,” Counsell said. “He turns it off and takes an objective look at it. He’s going to go through that, and you want to be ready to help him through that.”

Horton’s first start of 2026 wasn’t one of those difficult outings.

The runner-up in last year’s National League rookie of the year voting, Horton went 6 1/3 innings, allowing two runs and four hits. Importantly, Horton was efficient, needing only 75 pitches to get 19 outs.

Despite an eight-run lead, Counsell allowed Horton to begin the seventh another sign that the Cubs expect the 24-year-old righthander to lead the staff.

“I prepare for it the same way I prepare for every year: just focusing on getting stronger and being able to manage my workload between outings has been the biggest thing for me,” Horton said. “In terms of going deeper [in games], it really is about just getting built up and staying healthy.”

Horton made 22 starts last year, and by the end of the season had emerged as one of the Cubs’ best starters. But Horton’s 2025 was cut short by a rib fracture, ending his promising year on a disappointing note and sidelining him during the playoffs.

“It’s a new year, it’s exciting,” Horton said. “A lot of adrenaline, but it’s all about just controlling that and focusing on what I can control and that’s executing pitches and living pitch to pitch.”

The pitch that worked the best for Horton on Saturday was his fastball, which he threw 45 times and for strikes on 85% of its uses. Though it’s classified as a four-seam fastball, the pitch moves and is difficult for opponents to pick up.

Combined with the rest of his repertoire – change-up, sweeper, sinker, curveball – a sharp Horton causes problems for hitters.

“He’s throwing a 95, 97 mph fastball that’s cutting,” said Ian Happ, who hit a three-run home run during the Cubs’ four-run sixth. “I don’t think it’s the same shape back-to-back any time. Sometimes it cuts and rises, other times it dives down.”

One reason Horton was able to pitch deep into Saturday’s game was not being reliant on strikeouts. He only got four Saturday and was content to let Washington make weak contact and set up the Cubs defense make plays.

“That power fastball that he has is so strong that it’s not easy for hitters to put in play,” said catcher Miguel Amaya, whose fourth-inning home run was his first since May 19 of last year. “Whenever they make contact it’s soft contact in the infield. And then attacking the zone is going to protect all the secondary pitches.”

The Cubs hope Saturday was the start of Horton building off what he did in 2025. They have championship expectations, and Horton figures to be a key piece if the Cubs reach their goals.

“He’s going to be a huge part of it. He’s going to take the ball every fifth day,” Happ said. “We need him. We need him to be [that] version of himself. It’s been impressive to watch. He’s going to continue getting better, that’s the fun part of having a guy like him on the staff.”