Justin Steele To Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Justin Steele (elbow) will undergo season-ending surgery, according to manager Craig Counsell. Steele was recently placed on the injured list due to elbow tendinitis. On Friday, Steele got a second opinion on his elbow injury, which is never a good sign. Now, Steele is done for the year, but it's unclear if he'll undergo Tommy John surgery. Fantasy managers in redraft formats can feel free to go ahead and look elsewhere for help. The assumption is that Colin Rea will remain in the starting rotation. Also, right-hander Javier Assad (forearm) figures to get a look in the rotation as well once he returns to the roster. This is a tough blow as Steele was coming off his best performance of the season with seven shutout innings before landing on the injured list. The Cubs might look to make a trade for a frontline starter if they remain in contention around the trade deadline.
Justin Steele Seeking Second Opinion On Elbow Injury
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Justin Steele (elbow) underwent an MRI on Thursday that showed tendinitis in his left elbow. The same injury that sidelined Steele for a few weeks towards the end of last season. On Friday, Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Steele plans to seek a second opinion on his injured elbow. Fantasy managers don't need to hit the panic button yet, but there is certainly some concern here. If Steele misses significant time, Colin Rea or Javier Assad (forearm) figure to be the primary replacement options. For now, fantasy managers can stash Steele on their IL, but there should be more information on his status soon.
The Chicago Cubs have placed left-handed pitcher Justin Steele (elbow) on the 15-day injured list due to left elbow tendinitis. In a corresponding move, the Cubs promoted right-handed pitcher Ethan Roberts from Triple-A Iowa. Steele enjoyed his best outing of the season on Monday evening against the Texas Rangers and did not show any signs of an injury. In this outing, the southpaw tossed seven shutout innings. He struck out eight and allowed just three hits and two walks. In his first three starts, Steele held a modest 6.89 ERA with a 1.34 WHIP across 15 2/3 innings of work. With Steele sidelined, fantasy managers should expect either Colin Rea or Brad Keller to shift from the bullpen into a starting role. In addition, top pitching prospect Cade Horton could also be in the mix if Steele has an extended absence. Rea and Keller would only be worth targeting in NL-only formats if they join the rotation. UPDATE: Steele thinks he'll spend the minimum time on the IL, for what it's worth.
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Justin Steele looked like his old self for the first time this season in Monday's 7-0 win over the Rangers. Steele carved through a tough lineup, allowing three hits and two walks with eight strikeouts over seven innings pitched. The 29-year-old is now 3-1, but he brought a 6.89 ERA into Monday's start. That has now been cut to 4.76 to go with 21 strikeouts and five walks in 22 2/3 IP. Steele seems to have suffered from some bad luck to start the season, as his 1.99 HR/9 rate is much higher than his career 0.92 mark. Monday's start was his deepest of the season and his first in which he did not allow a home run, so hopefully things can start trending in the right direction for him. Unfortunately, that may be difficult in his next start, which will be at the Dodgers. Steele is a higher-end fantasy starter and did look much better, but fantasy managers may consider sitting him in his next start, given his overall slow start and how he fared against the Dodgers in his first start.
Chicago Cubs left-hander Justin Steele (illness) will make the Cactus League start on Tuesday versus the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers. Flu-like symptoms caused Steele to be scratched from his last scheduled spring start last Thursday, but the 29-year-old southpaw is feeling better now. After Tuesday's Cactus League outing, Steele's next start will come on March 19 in Tokyo, Japan, as part of the season-opening two-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Coming into Tuesday's start, he has allowed two earned runs on four hits (one homer) while walking none and fanning seven in five innings in his two spring training starts. Steele is a fine target as a No. 3 fantasy starting pitcher in season-long leagues, but he won't be a popular DFS target on March 19 against the defending World Series champions.
Chicago Cubs left-hander Justin Steele (illness) was scratched from his scheduled Cactus League start on Thursday against the Kansas City Royals due to flu-like symptoms. Right-hander Ben Brown, who is competing for a spot in the Opening Day starting rotation, will replace Steele. It's not a big deal for Steele, and he should be ready to make his third start of the spring in a couple more days. In his first two Cactus League appearances, the 29-year-old southpaw has allowed two earned runs on four hits (one homer) while walking none and striking out seven in five innings pitched. Steele broke out in 2023 but got off on the wrong foot last year due to a hamstring strain that caused him to miss a month. He also had a forearm injury late in the year. Steele's fantasy upside is limited because of his lack of strikeout stuff, but his fastball-slider combination generate plenty of weak contact. Consider him a solid target as a No. 3 fantasy starting pitcher.
Justin Steele "In Line" To Start Second Game Of The Season
Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell said on Wednesday that left-hander Justin Steele "is in line" to start the second game of the regular season in Tokyo, Japan, on March 19 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Fellow lefty Shota Imanaga was named the Opening Day starter for the first game in Tokyo. DFS gamers will likely be avoiding Steele in his first outing of the year against the toughest lineup in baseball, but he should be considered as a No. 3 starting pitcher target in upcoming fantasy drafts. The 29-year-old southpaw missed some time last year with injuries but finished with a strong 3.07 ERA (3.23 FIP), 1.09 WHIP and a 135:37 K:BB in 134 2/3 innings over his 24 starts. A below-average career strikeout rate of 24.4% limits Steele's fantasy upside, but he makes up for it by limiting hard contact, dominating lefties and issuing few walks (7.4% career walk rate).
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Justin Steele (elbow) is set to come off the injured list and take the mound against the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday. Steele has been out since late August due to elbow tendinitis. This is a welcoming sight for the Cubs who aren't quite eliminated from playoff contention yet. The return of Steele will push the rest of the starters back a day, according to manager Craig Counsell. Steele holds a 3.09 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 131/34 K/BB ratio this season. He'll be a favorable fantasy option for his first start back on the mound.
Chicago Cubs left-hander Justin Steele (elbow) threw a bullpen session on Wednesday and will throw another bullpen this weekend at Coors Field in Denver. "This is a true day-to-day thing and so we had a really good day today. This is like five days of straight good news, which is encouraging," manager Craig Counsell said. It was the first time that Steele threw off a mound since landing on the 15-day injured list a week ago with left-elbow issues. The 29-year-old southpaw will need to get through another bullpen before then facing live hitters. Barring a setback, Steele should be able to return to Chicago's rotation before the end of the year to help fantasy managers that are still playing for a championship. When healthy in 2024, Steele has been relevant in all fantasy leagues, going 5-5 with a 3.09 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP, and a career-best 24.9% strikeout rate in 22 starts (128 innings).
Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that left-hander Justin Steele's (elbow) catch play has gone well of late and that a bullpen session is next, and it could happen "on this road trip." The Cubs' current road trip ends this Sunday at Coors Field against the Colorado Rockies. If the 29-year-old southpaw can get through a successful bullpen session this week, he could move to a simulated game or live bullpen session next. Steele is currently on the 15-day injured list due to left-elbow inflammation, but barring a setback, he should be able to return at the end of the month of September for a start or two to close out the year. Steele, a first-time All-Star in 2023, has been similarly as good in 2024 despite spending some time on the IL due to injuries. He has an ERA just over 3.00 with a career-high 24.9% strikeout rate as a trusted weapon at the top of Chicago's starting rotation.
Justin Steele
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Cubs
