Building Cubs’ Rotation Behind Ace Justin Steele

The Chicago Cubs officially announced their starter for their Opening Day matchup against the Texas Rangers. Left-hander Justin Steele will get the nod to open the year for the Cubs. This is his first Opening Day start in just his second full season in the majors. Steele has solidified himself as the ace of the Cubs’ rotation.

Steele had a magical year in 2023 that had him in consideration for the NL’s Cy Young Award. In 30 starts, he posted a 16-5 record with a 3.06 ERA and 176 strikeouts. He was elected to his first All-Star game, where he pitched an inning, giving up a hit to Austin Hays and striking out Jonah Heim.

On Labor Day, Steele went eight innings at home against the San Francisco Giants. He picked up the win by surrendering just two hits and striking out twelve. Mostly thanks to his efficiency, dominance, and the pitch clock, the game lasted under two hours. It had to be the game of the year in Rob Manfred’s eyes.

Now that the Cubs have named Steele the Opening Day starter, they’ll look to figure out the rest of the rotation. We know most players are in contention, but Counsell has been very nonchalant about naming all five starters. He says more than five guys will start during the season. But he’ll have to name at least the first five to take the mound soon.

Cubs’ Rotation Behind Justin Steele

Now that he is healthy and back to pitching, Jameson Taillon has time to be ready to take the ball second in line. Taillon has been dealing with tightness in his calves and some mechanical issues but is now back in action. He’s coming off a second half that was a 180-turn from the first half. He’ll look to build on that momentum in 2024 and stay healthy following Justin Steele in the Cubs’ rotation. *EDITOR’S NOTE: Taillon was pulled from his expected start on Saturday afternoon. This changes the outlook on things for him and the second spot in the rotation.*

The new toy in the rotation is left-hander Shota Imanaga, who will make his major league debut. Imanaga came over from Japan to sign with the Cubs this offseason. While there are concerns with his fly-ball rate and the winds at Wrigley in the summer, Imanaga has unhittable movement on his pitches when he is on point. He’ll have to make adjustments coming into the American game, but he is perfect to slot in third in the Cubs’ rotation.

Veteran Kyle Hendricks is the lone survivor of the 2016 World Series champions. He’s the only one left who was part of that team and continues to be a fan favorite. While it has been a couple of frustrating injury-ridden years for Hendricks, he showed glimpses of his old self in 2023. I think the Cubs will slot him into the fourth spot of the rotation for a couple of reasons. First, it keeps a nice left-right-left-right pattern to the starters, keeping opponents switching their specialists. Second, the fourth starter will get the ball on Opening Day at Wrigley Field. There’s no one better to take that responsibility than Hendricks.

The Race For Fifth In Rotation

No matter the order, the Cubs’ rotation is set for four starts. The fifth spot has been a question since camp began. Craig Counsell has shrugged off the importance of naming a fifth starter when discussing the situation publicly. He says over the course of the year, more than five pitchers are going to start games. That could be by going to a six-man rotation, having “openers,” or injuries.

Right now, the leader in the clubhouse for the fifth spot in the Cubs’ rotation is Jordan Wicks. He was a late-season call-up in 2023 and shined when given the opportunity. This spring, he has shown signs of even more growth. Thus far, he has three starts with three strikeouts in eight innings pitched. The movement on his breaking pitches has been sharp, and he feels confident about getting into the regular season.

Javier Assad started spring training in the discussion for a chance, but that has since simmered. This is partly because of his results, but it also has to do with the emergence of Hayden Wesneski. Wesneski has prompted a conversation about being a candidate with his most recent outings. In three games, he’s pitched six innings and given up some contact, but he also has eight strikeouts, and the command is coming around.

As Counsell hinted, the Cubs’ rotation will ultimately be a committee of more than just five. He is not putting much stock into naming a fifth starter now. But someone will earn their way into the rotation and look to keep their spot for the year.