{
  "$type": "site.standard.document",
  "bskyPostRef": {
    "cid": "bafyreiegl6xx2qxrgkkyclkvxlgj6q5tgwh7kctin4qsjwwlkxhzbkf2re",
    "uri": "at://did:plc:ha7wpngv4f2qwrk5hta4ktbb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhbsb6hlxk72"
  },
  "coverImage": {
    "$type": "blob",
    "ref": {
      "$link": "bafkreiaef7aygx2kk3k7hcwp4bfu3afq6nimybkxvtzfu6kp7zozf5fq6i"
    },
    "mimeType": "image/jpeg",
    "size": 146866
  },
  "path": "/cubs/2026/03/17/cubs-pitcher-cade-horton-appears-to-be-back-on-track",
  "publishedAt": "2026-03-17T19:06:52.075Z",
  "site": "https://chicago.suntimes.com",
  "textContent": "<p>MESA, Ariz. — Those three home runs <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs\" >Cubs</a> pitcher Cade Horton allowed against the Rangers last week were much less concerning after Horton’s next start, a 10-strikeout performance against the Guardians on Monday night in Goodyear, where he allowed three hits and one walk.</p><p>Horton commanded his changeup exceptionally well against the four lefties in Cleveland’s lineup, generating 21 swings and misses on 74 pitches, 11 of which were changeups. He stood tall afterward, as pleased as one would expect 10 days before Opening Day.</p><p>“I felt like tonight I put it all together,” Horton said.</p><p>The swings and misses were two more than Horton’s season high in 2025, when he pitched like the Cubs’ best starter after the All-Star break and finished second in National League Rookie of the Year voting to the Braves catcher Drake Baldwin.</p><p>It would not have been surprising to see Horton named the Cubs’ Opening Day starter on March 26, but he is crafting the look of a staff ace who will get that chance very soon in his career. The Cubs are going with 35-year-old veteran left-hander Matthew Boyd, who went 14-8 with a 3.21 ERA in a team-high 31 starts and made the NL All-Star team last season.</p><p>“I’m so excited for him,” Horton said. “There’s nobody more deserving than him. He goes about his business the right way. Just the ultimate teammate. He just really does put the organization above himself. I think it’s really cool to watch him and just be able to share a clubhouse with him, so I’m really excited to watch him go out there and shove.”</p><p>Horton is lined up to pitch the Cubs' second game on March 28. He went 11-4 with a 2.67 ERA over 22 starts and one relief appearance covering a closely monitored 118-inning workload. Look for him to add innings in his second season after he finished strong with a 1.03 ERA over his last 12 starts.</p><p>A right rib fracture prevented him from pitching in a postseason that saw the Cubs defeat the Padres in a three-game wild-card series and lose to the Brewers in five games in the NLDS. Horton averaged a fraction above five innings and 78 pitches per performance during the regular season.</p><p>“My job is to go out there and get outs,” Horton said. “It doesn’t matter how many outs, just go out there and get outs and when they take the ball from me they take the ball from me. Hopefully I get more innings this year and put more on my workload. That’s something I want. We’ll see where we’re at.”</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><bsp-listcarousel class=\"PageListE\" data-module data-column-count=3 data-hide-authors=\"true\" data-hide-categories=\"true\" data-hide-dates=\"true\" data-hide-descriptions=\"true\" data-show-loadmore=\"true\" ><a class=\"AnchorLink\" id=\"list-c90005\" name=\"list-c90005\"></a><div class=\"PageList-header\" > <div class=\"PageList-header-title-wrap\" > <div class=\"PageList-header-title\"> <a class=\"\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs\" target=\"{borderColor=#dfdfdf, pageNumber=1, titleUrl=https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs, inverseColors=false, pagination=[{body=[Next Page], href=?p=2, _template=/link/Link.hbs, contentId=null, pianoSectionSlug=null, target=null}], footerBgColor=#000000, title=Latest on the Cubs, bodyFont=font-3, showListNumbers=false, imagePositionHorizontal=null, pageCount=4589, rteBodyFont=font-3, headerBottomBorderColor=#111010, items=[{type=Image, categoryUrl=https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs, _styledTemplate=null, publishDate=March 16, 2026 10:25 PM, authors=[{ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, name=[{items=[Daryl Van Schouwen]}], _template=/author/byline/AuthorByline.hbs, bio=[{items=[Daryl Van Schouwen spent 37 years at the Chicago Sun-Times, and covered the Chicago White Sox as a staff reporter for 15 seasons before his departure in 2025.]}], authorPageUrl=https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/daryl-van-schouwen, jobTitle=[{items=[Former staff reporter, White Sox]}], media=[{alt=DarylVanSchouwen-01.JPG, ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, _template=/image/Image.hbs, narrowImage={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/35/83/536ae54f47e89dafec8a9c9d0015/darylvanschouwen-01.JPG, width=7030, height=4689}, image={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/35/83/536ae54f47e89dafec8a9c9d0015/darylvanschouwen-01.JPG, width=7030, height=4689}}]}], imageAlignment=null, category=[{items=[Cubs]}], isFeatured=false, description=[{items=[Cubs will release result of right fielder’s MRI on Tuesday]}], target=null, primaryMediaType=null, title=Suspense builds over Seiya Suzuki's knee, ampLink=null, timestamp=1773717956000, media=[{alt=Screenshot 2026-03-16 at 10.24.29 PM.png, ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, _template=/image/Image.hbs, image={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/31/67/ec45778047c0adce5b09a14442bb/screenshot-2026-03-16-at-10-24-29-pm.png, width=1032, height=685}, narrowImage={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/31/67/ec45778047c0adce5b09a14442bb/screenshot-2026-03-16-at-10-24-29-pm.png, width=1032, height=685}}], anchorId=promo-820000, audio=[], wordCount=703, audioDuration=null, _template=/page/promo/PagePromo.hbs, url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2026/03/16/suspense-builds-over-seiya-suzukis-knee}, {type=Image, categoryUrl=https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs, timestamp=1773709722000, _styledTemplate=null, description=[{items=[And 11-year veteran Boyd contends that spring results don’t matter.]}], url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2026/03/16/taillons-shellacking-a-reminder-that-cubs-starters-still-working-on-issues-but-at-least-theres-depth, imageAlignment=null, isFeatured=false, wordCount=584, target=null, primaryMediaType=null, authors=[{media=[{alt=DarylVanSchouwen-01.JPG, ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, _template=/image/Image.hbs, narrowImage={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/35/83/536ae54f47e89dafec8a9c9d0015/darylvanschouwen-01.JPG, width=7030, height=4689}, image={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/35/83/536ae54f47e89dafec8a9c9d0015/darylvanschouwen-01.JPG, width=7030, height=4689}}], name=[{items=[Daryl Van Schouwen]}], ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, _template=/author/byline/AuthorByline.hbs, authorPageUrl=https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/daryl-van-schouwen, jobTitle=[{items=[Former staff reporter, White Sox]}], bio=[{items=[Daryl Van Schouwen spent 37 years at the Chicago Sun-Times, and covered the Chicago White Sox as a staff reporter for 15 seasons before his departure in 2025.]}]}], media=[{ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, _template=/image/Image.hbs, narrowImage={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/fa/5b/e59ad16f45d79040b4339314c141/st26-taillon-04-m15.jpg, width=4200, height=2800}, alt=The Cubs' Jameson Taillon throws a pitch in between innings of a spring training start at Sloan Park in Mesa, Arizona, on March 15, 2026., image={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/fa/5b/e59ad16f45d79040b4339314c141/st26-taillon-04-m15.jpg, width=4200, height=2800}}], ampLink=null, category=[{items=[Cubs]}], title=Jameson Taillon’s shellacking a reminder that Cubs’ starters still working on issues, anchorId=promo-820001, audio=[], audioDuration=null, publishDate=March 16, 2026 08:08 PM, _template=/page/promo/PagePromo.hbs}, {type=Image, categoryUrl=https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs, category=[{items=[Cubs]}], _styledTemplate=null, imageAlignment=null, isFeatured=false, target=null, primaryMediaType=null, title=Cubs righty Jameson Taillon's struggles continue with shellacking by Dodgers, url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2026/03/15/cubs-jameson-taillon-dodgers-daniel-palencia-venezuela-wbc-craig-counsell, description=[{items=[Taillon is tinkering with minor mechanical tweaks, but with the season starting in less than two weeks, the time to use that as an excuse is running out, and he knows it.]}], authors=[{bio=[{items=[Daryl Van Schouwen spent 37 years at the Chicago Sun-Times, and covered the Chicago White Sox as a staff reporter for 15 seasons before his departure in 2025.]}], jobTitle=[{items=[Former staff reporter, White Sox]}], ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, name=[{items=[Daryl Van Schouwen]}], _template=/author/byline/AuthorByline.hbs, authorPageUrl=https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/daryl-van-schouwen, media=[{alt=DarylVanSchouwen-01.JPG, ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, _template=/image/Image.hbs, narrowImage={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/35/83/536ae54f47e89dafec8a9c9d0015/darylvanschouwen-01.JPG, width=7030, height=4689}, image={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/35/83/536ae54f47e89dafec8a9c9d0015/darylvanschouwen-01.JPG, width=7030, height=4689}}]}], ampLink=null, audio=[], media=[{narrowImage={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/c3/47/78080e59460291950e1a106d6feb/st26-taillon-04-m15.jpg, width=4200, height=2800}, alt=ST26-taillon-04-m15.jpg, ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, _template=/image/Image.hbs, image={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/c3/47/78080e59460291950e1a106d6feb/st26-taillon-04-m15.jpg, width=4200, height=2800}}], anchorId=promo-820002, publishDate=March 15, 2026 06:50 PM, timestamp=1773618638000, audioDuration=null, _template=/page/promo/PagePromo.hbs, wordCount=635}], subTitle=null, stickyHeader=true, listTitleColor=#000000, tableCellBorderColor=#ccd1d5, relatedListFont=font-1, hideAuthors=true, tertiaryTextColor=#6c6c6c, buttonHoverTextColor=#ffffff, tableFont=font-1, carouselAutoPlay=false, promoTitleFont=font-2, ctaButtonText=[], primaryTextColor=#2a2a2a, buttonTextColor=#ffffff, linkTextColor=#1a1a1a, hideTitles=false, footerLinkColor=#ffffff, carouselSpeed=null, buttonHoverBgColor=#a91d23, rteHeadingFont=font-1, secondaryColor=#656565, hideCategories=true, _template=/page/list/includes/PageList-header.hbs, pullQuoteIcon=[{image=null, narrowImage=null, _template=/image/Image.hbs, alt=null}], font3=Arial, font4=Source-serif-4, ctaUrl=null, hideImage=false, footerLinkHoverColor=#d3242c, _styledTemplate=/page/list/PageListE.hbs, hideAudioPlayback=false, description=[], listColumns234=null, showSecondItemMedia=false, footerTextColor=#ffffff, hideDescriptions=true, headerSecondaryBgColor=#000000, primaryTextColorInverse=#ffffff, titleColor=null, ampLink=null, listHeaderPosition=null, showActionBar=true, linkHoverColor=#d3242c, buttonBgColor=#d3242c, ctaTarget=null, suppressPagination=false, promoButtonText=null, backgroundColor=null, headerSecondaryTextColor=#ffffff, anchorId=list-c90005, listTitleFont=font-2, headlineFont=font-1, promoDescriptionFont=font-3, primaryColor=#d3242c, count=13765, slimFooter=false, hideHeadline=false, hideDates=true, headerBorderColor=#e9e9e9, ratingCardFont=font-1, titleTarget=null, tableCaptionColor=#626262, mobileCarousel=false, tableEvenRowsBgColor=#f9f8f3, containerTitleFont=font-2, listBorderColor=#dfdfdf, defaultArticleLeadStyle=standard, _parentFiles=[/page/list/includes/PageList-header.hbs]}\">Latest on the Cubs</a> </div> </div> </div> <div class=\"PageListE-items\"> <div class=\"PageListE-items-item\"> <div class=\"PagePromoB\"data-align-top> <div class=\"PagePromo-media\"><a class=\"Link\" aria-label=\"Suspense builds over Seiya Suzuki's knee\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2026/03/16/suspense-builds-over-seiya-suzukis-knee\" ><picture data-crop=\"medium-4x3\"> <source type=\"image/webp\" width=\"490\" height=\"328\" srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3a9f3be/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1023x685+9+0/resize/490x328!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F31%2F67%2Fec45778047c0adce5b09a14442bb%2Fscreenshot-2026-03-16-at-10-24-29-pm.png\"/> <source width=\"490\" height=\"328\" srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/86aafb1/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1023x685+9+0/resize/490x328!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F31%2F67%2Fec45778047c0adce5b09a14442bb%2Fscreenshot-2026-03-16-at-10-24-29-pm.png\"/> <img class=\"Image\" alt=\"Screenshot 2026-03-16 at 10.24.29 PM.png\" width=\"490\" height=\"328\" src=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/86aafb1/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1023x685+9+0/resize/490x328!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F31%2F67%2Fec45778047c0adce5b09a14442bb%2Fscreenshot-2026-03-16-at-10-24-29-pm.png\"> </picture> </a></div> <div class=\"PagePromoB-content\"> <div class=\"PagePromo-category\"> <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs\" >Cubs</a> </div> <div class=\"PagePromo-title\"> <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2026/03/16/suspense-builds-over-seiya-suzukis-knee\" >Suspense builds over Seiya Suzuki's knee</a> </div> <div class=\"PagePromo-description\">Cubs will release result of right fielder’s MRI on Tuesday</div> <div class=\"PagePromo-byline\"><div class=\"PagePromo-date\"> <bsp-timestamp data-timestamp=1773717956000 data-promo=\"true\"> <template data-date-tpl>[month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]</template> <span data-date> </span> </bsp-timestamp><span class=\"dot\"></span></div> <div class=\"PagePromo-author\"> <span>By </span><strong><a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/daryl-van-schouwen\" >Daryl Van Schouwen </a></strong> </div> <div class=\"PagePromo-readingTime\"> <span class=\"dot-divider\"></span> <svg class=\"PagePromo-readingTime-icon\"> <use xlink:href=\"#icon-clock-reading\"></use> </svg> <span class=\"PagePromo-readingTime-text\"> <bsp-time-to-read data-article-word-count=\"703\"></bsp-time-to-read> read </span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class=\"PageListE-items-item\"> <div class=\"PagePromoB\"data-align-top> <div class=\"PagePromo-media\"><a class=\"Link\" aria-label=\"Jameson Taillon’s shellacking a reminder that Cubs’ starters still working on issues\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2026/03/16/taillons-shellacking-a-reminder-that-cubs-starters-still-working-on-issues-but-at-least-theres-depth\" ><picture data-crop=\"medium-4x3\"> <source type=\"image/webp\" width=\"490\" height=\"328\" srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/0d6e128/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4183x2800+0+0/resize/490x328!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Ffa%2F5b%2Fe59ad16f45d79040b4339314c141%2Fst26-taillon-04-m15.jpg\"/> <source width=\"490\" height=\"328\" srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/eb36f47/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4183x2800+0+0/resize/490x328!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Ffa%2F5b%2Fe59ad16f45d79040b4339314c141%2Fst26-taillon-04-m15.jpg\"/> <img class=\"Image\" alt=\"The Cubs' Jameson Taillon throws a pitch in between innings of a spring training start at Sloan Park in Mesa, Arizona, on March 15, 2026.\" width=\"490\" height=\"328\" src=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/eb36f47/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4183x2800+0+0/resize/490x328!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Ffa%2F5b%2Fe59ad16f45d79040b4339314c141%2Fst26-taillon-04-m15.jpg\"> </picture> </a></div> <div class=\"PagePromoB-content\"> <div class=\"PagePromo-category\"> <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs\" >Cubs</a> </div> <div class=\"PagePromo-title\"> <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2026/03/16/taillons-shellacking-a-reminder-that-cubs-starters-still-working-on-issues-but-at-least-theres-depth\" >Jameson Taillon’s shellacking a reminder that Cubs’ starters still working on issues</a> </div> <div class=\"PagePromo-description\">And 11-year veteran Boyd contends that spring results don’t matter.</div> <div class=\"PagePromo-byline\"><div class=\"PagePromo-date\"> <bsp-timestamp data-timestamp=1773709722000 data-promo=\"true\"> <template data-date-tpl>[month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]</template> <span data-date> </span> </bsp-timestamp><span class=\"dot\"></span></div> <div class=\"PagePromo-author\"> <span>By </span><strong><a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/daryl-van-schouwen\" >Daryl Van Schouwen </a></strong> </div> <div class=\"PagePromo-readingTime\"> <span class=\"dot-divider\"></span> <svg class=\"PagePromo-readingTime-icon\"> <use xlink:href=\"#icon-clock-reading\"></use> </svg> <span class=\"PagePromo-readingTime-text\"> <bsp-time-to-read data-article-word-count=\"584\"></bsp-time-to-read> read </span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class=\"PageListE-items-item\"> <div class=\"PagePromoB\"data-align-top> <div class=\"PagePromo-media\"><a class=\"Link\" aria-label=\"Cubs righty Jameson Taillon's struggles continue with shellacking by Dodgers\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2026/03/15/cubs-jameson-taillon-dodgers-daniel-palencia-venezuela-wbc-craig-counsell\" ><picture data-crop=\"medium-4x3\"> <source type=\"image/webp\" width=\"490\" height=\"328\" srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/1b9b13c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4183x2800+0+0/resize/490x328!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fc3%2F47%2F78080e59460291950e1a106d6feb%2Fst26-taillon-04-m15.jpg\"/> <source width=\"490\" height=\"328\" srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/dc43d69/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4183x2800+0+0/resize/490x328!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fc3%2F47%2F78080e59460291950e1a106d6feb%2Fst26-taillon-04-m15.jpg\"/> <img class=\"Image\" alt=\"ST26-taillon-04-m15.jpg\" width=\"490\" height=\"328\" src=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/dc43d69/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4183x2800+0+0/resize/490x328!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fc3%2F47%2F78080e59460291950e1a106d6feb%2Fst26-taillon-04-m15.jpg\"> </picture> </a></div> <div class=\"PagePromoB-content\"> <div class=\"PagePromo-category\"> <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs\" >Cubs</a> </div> <div class=\"PagePromo-title\"> <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2026/03/15/cubs-jameson-taillon-dodgers-daniel-palencia-venezuela-wbc-craig-counsell\" >Cubs righty Jameson Taillon's struggles continue with shellacking by Dodgers</a> </div> <div class=\"PagePromo-description\">Taillon is tinkering with minor mechanical tweaks, but with the season starting in less than two weeks, the time to use that as an excuse is running out, and he knows it.</div> <div class=\"PagePromo-byline\"><div class=\"PagePromo-date\"> <bsp-timestamp data-timestamp=1773618638000 data-promo=\"true\"> <template data-date-tpl>[month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]</template> <span data-date> </span> </bsp-timestamp><span class=\"dot\"></span></div> <div class=\"PagePromo-author\"> <span>By </span><strong><a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/daryl-van-schouwen\" >Daryl Van Schouwen </a></strong> </div> <div class=\"PagePromo-readingTime\"> <span class=\"dot-divider\"></span> <svg class=\"PagePromo-readingTime-icon\"> <use xlink:href=\"#icon-clock-reading\"></use> </svg> <span class=\"PagePromo-readingTime-text\"> <bsp-time-to-read data-article-word-count=\"635\"></bsp-time-to-read> read </span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </bsp-listcarousel><p></p>",
  "title": "Cubs pitcher Cade Horton appears to be back on track",
  "updatedAt": "2026-03-17T19:07:12.114Z"
}