CHICAGO — Cade Horton didn’t sugarcoat his thoughts about missing the start of the 2025 MLB playoffs for the Cubs.

“It sucks,” the rookie right-hander said. “It really does suck.”

Horton landed on the 15-day injured list Saturday with a right rib fracture. He believes he could be available if the Cubs progress in the playoffs, and he’ll continue to try and “keep my arm in shape” while he recovers. He isn’t throwing yet, but he’s trying to keep his body as sharp as possible for when he is allowed to chuck a baseball.

“We’re kind of looking at how to keep my arm in shape but not having those throws out there,” Horton said. “We’re looking at a couple different options of just staying in game shape but also like giving it a chance to heal.”

The 24-year-old isn’t sulking about the situation, though.

“All I can do is be a really good teammate, and try to get healthy during the next week, and just keep taking it day by day,” Horton said. “I got a lot of belief in these guys, and I think we’ll be in a good spot.”

It’s what the Cubs’ rotation has done all of 2025, as it has weathered injuries since before the season began. Even Horton’s MLB debut and successful big season partially is because of the injury bug.

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Yes, the 2022 first-round draft pick was pitching well at Triple-A Iowa. But the Cubs lost Justin Steele to season-ending elbow surgery in April. Javier Assad started spring with an oblique injury that kept him out until August. And Shota Imanaga missed seven weeks in May and June with a hamstring injury, which led to Horton’s debut.

Through it all, the Cubs have posted a 3.85 ERA from their starters, the 10th-best mark in baseball.

“That’s one thing about this rotation, is we pick each other up when it’s needed,” Horton said. “I got really good belief in them.

“It really does take everybody. That’s something about this year that I’ve learned is it takes a lot of guys, a lot of sacrifices. A lot of guys stepping up just throughout the course of 162. Everybody pulling on the same rope for the benefit of the team is the most important thing.”

The important thing for Horton is to continue to recover and hope his rotation mates can help pick him up and allow him an opportunity to be a contributor later in October.

“We’re just taking it day by day right now,” Horton said. “We’ll see where we’re at in 15 days. It’s really just about getting it to calm down, letting it heal a little bit, and then go from there.

“I thought I could do it this week. Turns out I can’t.”