The Rundown: Horton Emerging as Team Leader, Tucker Hits IL, Schwarber Mashes No. 50, Reds and Giants Pushing for Playoffs

“And you run and you run to catch up with the sun but it’s sinking, racing around to come up behind you again.” – Time by Pink Floyd

The Cubs have a clubhouse leader and potential Rookie of the Year in Cade Horton, who would rather win a World Series than collect hardware for individual effort. Excuse me for getting a bit giddy thinking about him and Justin Steele eventually leading Chicago’s rotation. It will be like the second coming of Jake Arrieta and Jon Lester, with Jameson Taillon playing the role of John Lackey.

It’s true the Cubs have struggled since mid-July, but Jed Hoyer has built something sustainable, whether that includes Kyle Tucker or not, and that’s all you can ask of a major league front office. The only way to win a World Series is to first get into the playoffs, and it doesn’t matter if it’s by winning the division or entering as a Wild Card. Look no further than the 2003 Marlins, the 2004 Red Sox, or the ’23 Rangers.

Timing will be the story of this season because the Cubs went cold as soon as the confounding Brewers went on a historical heater. Milwaukee was 54-25 (.684) from June through August, and it’s surprising that the Cubs are still within striking distance to win the NL Central. Capturing the division flag is unlikely with 17 games left on the schedule, so Chicago must focus on being the league’s first runners-up. Their path to the World Series would then run through Milwaukee to get to the NLCS, making redemption the theme of the postseason.

Horton could be the guy to lead the Cubs to the league championship series and beyond. Would you push the rookie to the top of the rotation, slotting Shōta Imanaga and Matthew Boyd behind him? The dynamic of each series changes dramatically when you put it on paper. It would be Horton who potentially faces Michael King of the Padres or David Peterson of the Mets. Advancing to the NLDS would slot Horton against Freddy Peralta. All of those matches favor Chicago, and though you could make a similar case for Boyd and Imanaga, Horton has earned any and all Game 1 assignments. He and his rotation brethren give the Cubs an advantage against any team’s Nos. 2 and 3 starters.

Playoff baseball grants the Cubs a second chance at flipping the narrative of the 2025 season. Leaning on a rookie would also make for an interesting storyline while providing Hoyer the adulation he deserves for not emptying the farm at the trade deadline. Sure, that decision might come back to haunt the president of baseball operations in the short term, but I’d bet against it. Fans should have confidence in the team, especially if Craig Counsell can sort out the back end of his bullpen.

The best teams in the NL have their fair share of vulnerabilities, so anything can happen and nothing will be surprising. If the Cubs can find their peak, they should churn through the playoffs just like the Marlins did in 2003. Horton may not win the award as the league’s top rookie, but “champion” is an exemplary and preferred substitution.

“Forward!” he cried from the rear and the front rank died. The general sat and the lines on the map moved from side to side.” – Us & Them, also by Pink Floyd

Cubs News & Notes

• The Cubs finally placed Tucker on the IL. Big bashing Moisés Ballesteros was recalled in the corresponding move.
• The Cubs are hopeful the all-star right fielder will require a minimum IL stint.
• Tucker, Pete Crow-Armstrong, and Nico Hoerner are among the top 10 NL MVP candidates. Shohei Ohtani is the current favorite, while Horton is listed fourth in the Rookie of the Year race behind Isaac Collins, Drake Baldwin, and Caleb Durbin.
• Fans of the Cubs and Bears found themselves circling the drain of misery on Monday night.
• My frustration with both Chicago teams runs equally deep.
• Injuries and innings thresholds will require Counsell to juggle his rotation and bullpen down the stretch.
• Imanaga honored Ryne Sandberg with his unique Topps trading card.
• The Nationals are reportedly planning to consider Carter Hawkins as a permanent replacement for the recently fired Mike Rizzo. Hawkins is a perfect candidate to take over that team as it enters the next phase of its youth movement, and I say that without a hint of facetiousness.
• Who should Hoyer hire to replace Hawkins if he leaves? Jared Banner is the likely favorite if the Cubs stay in-house, and Meghan Jones will get some consideration. That said, Ben Cherington might be available and I’d love to see him join Hoyer’s staff because he’d provide the counterpoint the current front office lacks.
• Hawkins is among the finalists for the position.
• Anthony Rizzo has officially retired and will join the Cubs as a team ambassador.
• Rizzo celebrated as any Chicagoan with a touch of the Bronx in his blood should.

Ball Four

Kyle Schwarber, coming to a Chicago 16″ softball league near you, someday.

Future Hall of Famer Kyle Schwarber hits a colossal tank to center field for his 50th homer of the year. Just an incredible run he’s on. By the time he retires, he will have had one of the most unique careers of all time.

Then he’ll play softball forever. pic.twitter.com/K60ZAAnKb1

— Not Gaetti (@notgaetti) September 10, 2025

Central Intelligence

• Milwaukee (89-57): The Brewers activated Rhys Hoskins before last night’s game against the Rangers. He joins a crowded first base group that includes Andrew Vaughn and Jake Bauers. Milwaukee’s magic number to win the NL Central is 13.
• Chicago (82-63): The Cubs are the only MLB team that has not lost more than three consecutive games this season. They also secured a winning record with last night’s 6-1 win over the Braves. By the way, Ben Brown closed it out in a non-save situation. It was light mop-up duty, but it’s fair to wonder if Counsell sees an opportunity for Brown to replace the injured Daniel Palencia. I expect the manager to experiment a little with his bullpen once the Cubs clinch. Chicago also gained a game on the Brewers, Mets, and Padres yesterday. Here are your magic numbers: 10 to make the playoffs, 14 for WC2, and 16 to earn the top seed among Wild Card qualifiers.
• Cincinnati (73-72): With Tuesday’s big victory over the Padres, a Mets loss in Philadelphia, and the Giants’ win against the Diamondbacks, the Reds moved to within three games of New York for the third and final Wild Card berth, a game behind San Francisco. Tyler Stephenson was Cincinnati’s hero last night.
• St. Louis (72-74): Under the guidance of Chaim Bloom, the Cardinals are preparing for a ruthless and necessary roster upheaval.
• Pittsburgh (64-81): The Pirates are being urged to hire Don Mattingly as manager in an effort to keep Paul Skenes in Pittsburgh.

Wild Pitch

“Insanity laughs. Under pressure we’re cracking.” – Under Pressure by Queen with David Bowie

• Los Angeles (81-64): Yesterday was the 60th anniversary of the perfect game Sandy Koufax tossed against the Cubs. Koufax became the first major leaguer to throw four no-hitters with that perfecto. The Cubs’ lineup that September evening featured three future Hall of Famers: Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, and Ron Santo.
• San Diego (79-66): The Padres are expected to pursue Tigers shortstop Gleyber Torres this winter.
• New York (76-69): The Mets have lost four straight and are in danger of being surpassed by the Giants for the National League’s final Wild Card spot.
• San Francisco (74-71): The Giants, who practically waved the white flag at this year’s trade deadline, have won 13 of 16 and now sit two games behind the Mets. How about this for a scenario? The Cubs could theoretically clinch the top Wild Card seed and eliminate New York during a three-game set at Wrigley Field starting September 24, the penultimate series of the 2025 regular season.
• Arizona (72-74): Starter Zac Gallen passed Robbie Ray for third place on the team’s all-time strikeout list. He’s also 66 punchouts shy of catching Brandon Webb for second. Randy Johnson is the club leader with 2,077 strikeouts.

How About That!

Schwarber joined Ryan Howard as the only Phillies players to hit 50 or more home runs in a single season.

Walker Buehler is set to join the Phillies after his final minor league tune-up yesterday evening. Philadelphia is going with a six-man rotation for the remainder of the regular season.

There could be as many as 10 managerial and front office openings after this season.

Red Sox rookie starter Connelly Early had a heck of a major league debut. He’s also got one of the cooler names in baseball.

Country star Morgan Wallen hit the wife of retired star José Bautista while mimicking Bautista’s legendary bat flip.

Extra Innings

Would you give Horton the ball in a Game 1 matchup against the Padres, Dodgers, or Mets? Winning the first of a three-game set is essential. Six of the eight teams swept when MLB instituted the current Wild Card format in 2020. You may remember the Marlins swept the Cubs at Wrigley Field that year.

Would you start Cade Horton in Game 1 of a playoff series? pic.twitter.com/X6G6CFm1mS

— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) September 10, 2025

Apropos of Nothing

Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson are starring in a movie about Milwaukee legends Mike and Carrie Scardina. The pair gained notoriety with their act Lightning & Thunder, a Neil Diamond tribute ensemble. The movie, titled Song Sung Blue, drops on Christmas Day. A documentary produced and directed by Greg Kohs with the same title can also be found online.

They Said It

• “It kind of sucks. You don’t want, as a player, to miss any time. From that aspect, it’s frustrating. You want to go out there and help the team win. Do what you can on the field and help everyone around you. Now I gotta do that without being on the field.” – Tucker
• “[Tucker] didn’t have any progress today, didn’t really get to a point of a lot of effort at all. Wasn’t comfortable playing, so we said we gotta give this a little more time. We also [took] the day-to-day feeling away from it. We’ll give a couple days here. Treat it, not test it, so to speak, and we’ll go from there.” – Counsell

Wednesday Walk-Up Song

A handful of my very good friends are dealing with sudden, late-stage cancer right now, and it’s bizarre to me that it is happening simultaneously. I still trust the Covid vaccines and have had all of my boosters, but I won’t deny my confidence is somewhat eroding in light of these coincidentally strange and depressing prognoses. All are in my age range, too (55-62). I, of course, do not speak on behalf of the rest of the CI staff.