Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Justin Steele will get the nod to start the first game out of the All-Star break in Friday's series opener against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks. After being named a first-time All-Star in 2023, Steele has delivered an outstanding 2.71 ERA and 0.95 WHIP with 81 strikeouts and 18 walks over 86 1/3 innings (14 starts) for the Cubs in 2024. Although the 29-year-old left-hander coughed up six runs in his last appearance against the D-backs in September of last season, he still has a strong 3.00 ERA and 30:6 K:BB across 24 frames (four starts) against Arizona in his career. Steele belongs in all season-long fantasy lineups on Friday to kick off the second half in the Windy City.
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Justin Steele was excellent on Thursday, throwing seven shutout frames against the Baltimore Orioles in an 8-0 win. Steele allowed just three hits, didn't walk a batter, and struck out four. Even though the punchouts aren't always there for the lefty, he manages to limit hard contact and prevent runs at an elite level. After a tough start to the season where he was seemingly still finding his form after an injury, Steele has seen his ERA dip from 5.68 on May 22 all the way down to its current 2.71. He is proving that last year wasn't a fluke and rewarding fantasy managers who believed in his 2023 season with another brilliant campaign.
Justin Steele Dominant In First Career Complete Game
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Justin Steele threw his first career complete game on Friday afternoon in the Cubs' 5-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels. Steele struck out seven and allowed just one run on two hits, improving his record to 1-3. The lefty has now recorded six straight quality starts and has lowered his ERA to 2.95 on the season. After missing all of April dealing with a hamstring issue, Steele has become one of the more reliable arms in the Cubs' rotation. He'll get one more start before the All-Star break and that start is currently scheduled for next Thursday in Baltimore against the Orioles. It will be a tough test given Baltimore's track record against lefties in 2024 and fantasy managers may want to temper expectations for Steele that night.
Chicago Cubs pitcher Justin Steele struck out nine over 7 1/3 innings during Monday's 5-4 loss at the San Francisco Giants. Steele finished with a no-decision as he allowed two earned runs on solo homers from Matt Chapman and Nick Ahmed among the six hits he yielded while walking one in his 108-pitch effort. He has been dominant in June, sporting a 1.69 ERA with 34 strikeouts in 32 innings with six earned runs among the 12 runs he's allowed despite an (0-1) record. Steele now has a 3.08 ERA with 65 strikeouts in 64 innings but has yet to pick up his first win of the season. He will make his next start on Saturday at the Milwaukee Brewers and should be started in all leagues while he's pitching well recently.
Justin Steele Fans Season-High Eight In Longest Start
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Justin Steele put together his most complete start of the year in Monday's loss to the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers, throwing a season-high seven innings of scoreless ball on three hits and one walk to go with a season-best eight strikeouts for a tough-luck no-decision. The three hits also marked a season-low figure for Steele, who hadn't tossed at least five scoreless innings in any of his prior five starts to Monday's strong outing. The 28-year-old southpaw has endured a trying year due to injury as well as poor results on the field overall, but his 31:7 K:BB over 32 1/3 innings should instill some optimism that a turnaround is on the horizon despite a lackluster 4.45 ERA. Steele next lines up to take the ball at home on Saturday against the visiting Cincinnati Reds, a team he's struggled against to the tune of a ghastly 8.64 ERA over 16 2/3 frames since 2022.
Updating a previous report, Chicago Cubs left-hander Justin Steele (hamstring) will come off the injured list and start on Monday at Wrigley Field against the visiting San Diego Padres, assuming his bullpen session on Saturday goes well. Steele made just one minor-league rehab start with Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday and gave up three runs on six hits in just 3 1/3 innings while throwing 63 pitches, so the 28-year-old southpaw will almost certainly be on a lowered pitch count in his return on Monday. Steele isn't dealing with an arm injury, but he'll be a pretty risky fantasy starter on Monday against the Friars regardless. Monday's start will be his first since he injured his hamstring on Opening Day on March 28.
Chicago Cubs left-hander Justin Steele (hamstring) is slated to throw a bullpen session on Saturday in Chicago and will be re-evaluated from there. Manager Craig Counsell said that Steele had a successful minor-league rehab outing for Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday despite giving up three runs on six hits in just 3 1/3 innings pitched. He appears to be progressing well, and there's a chance he's activated from the injured list if everything goes well with his bullpen session this weekend. However, the fact that the 28-year-old southpaw didn't even go four full innings in his last rehab start would suggest that he'll need to make at least one more start in the minors before returning to Chicago's rotation. Regardless, Steele needs to be rostered in all fantasy leagues after breaking out in 2023.
Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that everything went well with left-hander Justin Steele's (hamstring) minor-league rehab start with Triple-A Iowa. He will work out with Iowa on Thursday and then meet the Cubs in Chicago on Friday. However, there is nothing official on when Steele's next start will be. It's definitely possible that the 28-year-old southpaw could come off the injured list this weekend and make his next start with the Cubbies after injuring his hamstring in his Opening Day start on March 28 against the Texas Rangers, when he allowed three hits and an earned run while walking one and striking out six in 4 2/3 innings of work. After a breakout 16-win season for Chicago in 2023, Steele belongs on all fantasy rosters.
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Justin Steele (hamstring) might only need one rehab start, according to manager Craig Counsell. The left-hander has been sidelined since suffering a hamstring injury on Opening Day. Steele is set to make a rehab start with Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday. It sounds like the left-hander could be back in the Cubs rotation at some point next week. Fantasy managers will have to wait and see how the rehab start goes before making any moves. Regardless, it doesn't sound like Steele is going to miss much more time.
Justin Steele Likely To Pitch At Triple-A Wednesday
Chicago Cubs left-hander Justin Steele (hamstring) is moving on to the next step of his rehab and is likely to pitch for Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday, according to skipper Craig Counsell. The 28-year-old tossed 47 pitches in an extended spring game in Arizona on Friday and has seemingly come out of the outing feeling fine. The southpaw tossed 4 2/3 innings of one-run ball on Opening Day against the Texas Rangers but suffered a hamstring strain that has cost him significant time. Steele was in Cy Young contention for much of the 2023 season before struggling late in the year but still posted a 3.06 ERA and a 19.6% K-BB% on the back of an elite 5% BB% across 30 starts a season ago.
