Left-handed pitcher Justin Steele could be an option out of the bullpen this weekend, and right now it kind of seems like the Chicago Cubs will desperately need him in some capacity to close out the regular season. Heading into Tuesday night’s game against the Miami Marlins, the Cubs are battling with the Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres for home-field advantage in the Wild Card Round of the MLB playoffs. Severe weather has already changed this weekend’s series between the Cubs and Boston Red Sox, which now includes a doubleheader on Friday.
The Cubs will not be allowed to bring up an additional arm for Friday’s twin bill as MLB only implements the rule through Aug. 31, giving any team playing in a doubleheader the chance to add an extra arm for the day. Rosters expand from 26 to 28 players on Sept. 1, so the Cubs (and Red Sox) already have an extra pitcher on the active roster.
Steele, who has not pitched for the Cubs in a year and a half, ended his rehab stint with the Iowa Cubs at Triple-A on a positive note, which has given him the opportunity to potentially make his season debut this weekend against the Red Sox.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell spoke to reporters prior to the team’s series opener on Tuesday. Here’s what he said about the possibility of Steele returning to the big leagues for the Cubs before the end of the regular season.
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“He’s an option, I guess, is the best way to say it. I’m really encouraged … he pitched really well his last outing. I think, most important, that’s a good feeling for him. Just to pitch and have success and feel like, ‘I threw the ball well,’ as you kind of work through this process and work to get back. That’s a great sign. There’s other considerations after Justin, I guess, from a team perspective that we’ve got to figure out and make sure that we make the right decisions.”
-Craig Counsell
It doesn’t exactly sound like the Cubs are gearing up to add Steele to their postseason plans, but the lefty has a bullpen session scheduled on Wednesday, and if he looks good and feels good, he could pitch in the final regular-season game of the year.
Friday’s doubleheader is better than a potential Monday game for the Cubs, but the schedule change has thrown a wrench into their pitching plans in Boston. Clay Holmes and David Peterson will start for the Cubs on Friday, and as of now, there is no set starter for Saturday’s game. Shōta Imanaga would be lined up to go, but the lefty would be starting on short-rest, which the Cubs would love to avoid.
Maybe the Cubs will need a fresh arm out of necessity, which could end up being Steele. He made four appearances at Triple-A; all were multi-inning outings. His fastball velocity was down a tick in his last two games, so that could definitely be a factor in how effective Steele can actually be if he does pitch for the Cubs, and if there’s any shot that he could potentially be on the postseason roster.
But remember, above everything else, the Cubs will prioritize Steele’s long-term health with an eye on 2027. But hey, it doesn’t hurt to dream about Steele returning and playing hero at the end of the season, and maybe in the playoffs too?
