Cubs Week In Review: Cade Horton Makes a Strong Impression, Amid a Rough Week

Through their recent adversity, the Chicago Cubs haven't crashed back down to Earth. However, they do seem to be flying at a lower altitude. For a squad that spent the first six weeks of the season earning the trust of even its most skeptical observers, the 2-5 record the North Siders have produced in their last seven contests feels more like a freefall than the minor hiccup it is most likely to be. Dropping back-to-back series against the Giants and Mets, while less than desirable, is no cause to sound the alarm. There were still a handful of positives to glean from this past week of Cubs baseball. 

It's no secret that the team's recent string of pitching injuries has dimmed the excitement of a strong start. However, those very setbacks also gave us the exciting arrival of top pitching prospect, Cade Horton. In his minor-league career, Horton boasted a sub-3.00 ERA and struck out just shy of 200 batters. In his debut versus the Mets, much of what's made him great so far in the lower circuit carried over to the big leagues. After Brad Keller blanked the Mets in the first inning of a nationally televised game from Citi Field, the 23-year-old Horton took the hill for four innings of poised pitching. What had to stick out most was Horton's confidence on the mound. Facing New York's murderer's row of boppers, Horton looked sharp and steadfast, bending but not breaking under the bright lights. Let this first appearance make it known: Cade Horton is a major-league pitcher.

I will fault no one for getting caught up in the thrill of the Cubs' bright future, because as fate would have it, that was one of the few highlights of this past week. With the hated St. Louis Cardinals creeping ever closer to the Cubs' top spot in the National League Central, pressure is steadily rising to fix the North Siders' subpar bullpen. This club's stable of relievers—even the usually good Porter Hodge—continues to give up baserunners with less than two outs; sharply-hit line drives; and seemingly avoidable jams. This squad's offense, high-powered as it may be, can't realistically be called upon to shoulder the bulk of the work every night. It's up to the bullpen to secure wins for this team, and right now, that just isn't happening consistently. 

Nobody said reclaiming the NL Central crown would be easy. The good news is, this next stretch of the season actually should be. The "easy" part of the schedule we all longed for throughout March and April finally begins this week, with the Marlins, White Sox, Reds and Rockies taking up the Cubs' time for the balance of May.

With that said, nothing has changed for this squad. They can take a hit with the very best of this league, and when at full strength or close to it, there are few other clubs that rival the one on Chicago's North Side. The heavyweight took some heavy hits; now they need to come out swinging for their next round.