Latest news with #JustinSteele
Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Chicago Cubs Pitching Staff Will Need Trade Deadline Help
There are plenty of reasons to be surprised the Chicago Cubs are doing as well as they are at this point in the season. As May comes to a close, they have a solid lead in their division and are among the top teams in the National League. That's despite playing through the hardest strength of schedule in the first month of the season and going without their top two starting pitchers in Justin Steele and Shota Imanaga. Steele went down with an elbow injury in April that will keep him off the mound until 2026, and Imanaga has been out with a hamstring strain since May 5 and likely won't return for at least a couple of weeks. Those two factors could easily have sunk the Cubs' playoff hopes early in the season, but instead, Chicago is poised to be a buyer at the trade deadline in July. And on that front, it's fairly easy to discern where on the roster the Cubs could use the most help. Their starting pitching depth – buffeted by offseason additions like Colin Rea and Matthew Boyd – has handled the absences of Steele and Imanaga nicely, but there might be signs that the once-sturdy rotation is beginning to wobble. Rea struggled for the second straight start against the Reds on Friday, and the Cubs opted to use an opener for Ben Brown on Saturday. The Cubs were already likely candidates to be aggressive on the pitching market at the trade deadline, but if their remaining starting pitchers are going to struggle, then that likelihood only increases. They could pursue a top of the rotation type starter, but the Cubs have also had a lot of success in finding 'project' pitchers who come to Chicago and succeed in ways they have not in the past. 'We've had some real success stories organizationally with what we've done with pitching this year,' manager Craig Counsell told reporters Friday. 'We've got a good pitching program here, and that's just incrementally trying to make guys a little bit better. You take shots at this, right? You take just a number of shots. 'The player deserves a lot of credit, and some you just keep looking for those opportunities. That's the bottom line, is that you never stop, never get satisfied, never stop looking for those opportunities. That's something the organization [does] well.' If the Cubs decide to go after a top-tier starter, Marlins pitcher Sandy Alcantara is expected to be available. Even though Alcantara has an 8.47 ERA through 11 starts this season, the consensus among MLB executives seems to be that his track record and skill set will outweigh the numbers Alcantara is putting up this season. 'The longer he is removed from the injury the better he will likely be,' an American League executive told Mark Feinsand. 'At the Deadline, he could demand a pretty price with up to two-and-a-half years of control remaining on his contract.' And from a National League executive, 'It's not very often a Cy Young caliber starting pitcher is available on the market. If he gets back to his old ways, he can have a major impact on who ends up the eventual World Series champion.' Injuries and some under performances have also impacted the Cubs in the bullpen. Ryan Pressly, acquired in a trade with the Astros over the winter, has essentially lost the closer role. That spot was briefly occupied by Porter Hodge before he hit the injured list, and for now, Daniel Palencia is holding that responsibility. And along with that, Julian Merryweather, once a stabilizing force in the Cubs bullpen, was designated for assignment earlier this week because of his struggles on the mound. As a group, the Cubs' bullpen had a 13th-ranked ERA (3.77) going into Saturday's games, and they will likely have to bolster that part of the roster as well. The Cubs could look to the scuffling Orioles for help on that front. They are expected to have a handful of pitchers available come July, and any one of Felix Bautista, Gregory Soto, or Seranthony Dominguez would be a big help to the Cubs bullpen. They have the minor league depth to send the kind of return that Baltimore would be looking for, and relievers are traditionally not extremely costly at the trade deadline. The current Chicago Cubs roster has all of the ingredients for a division winner, and they have weathered some of the early season tests impressively. But in order to make the most of a 2025 season that is showing potential for their first National League Central title since 2017 and first postseason appearance since the 2020 wild card series, the Cubs are going to have to address some of the emerging needs on the roster. With an offense that leads baseball in runs scored, it's easy to see that they need to pursue pitching this summer.
Forbes
5 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Cubs Made A Wise Investment In Matthew Boyd
In the finale of a three-game sweep of the Rockies on Wednesday night, Matthew Boyd tossed six one-run innings. He struck out eight, walked none, and gave up just two hits. It was his fourth quality start of May and sixth of the season. Seventh, if you include an April start against the Dodgers in which three of the six runs he allowed were unearned. In eleven starts this year, Boyd has 64 strikeouts compared to 15 walks. In the month of May, Boyd has struck out 34 batters while walking only two. In a Cubs rotation battered by injuries to key starters, Boyd has been something of a savior. And on a two-year, $29 million contract with the Cubs, Boyd is proving to be a wise investment for Chicago thus far. The Cubs are without Justin Steele until early next season after he needed to undergo Tommy John surgery in April, and Shota Imanaga is working to come back from a hamstring strain and is not expected back on the mound until mid-June at the earliest. 'Our [pitching] depth, it's been tested,' Cubs team president Hoyer told reporters this week. 'And we have to assume that that's not going to stop, that we'll continue to be tested. And we have to continue to find depth where we can find it.' Boyd was a key addition this offseason, especially given the way he has stepped up with Steele and Imanaga downed by injuries, but also because coming into the 2025 season it was not certain whether or not Boyd would be able to supply the kind of pitching value the Cubs needed. The Cubs will still undoubtedly need to pursue starting pitching as the July trade deadline approaches, but Boyd is one of the reasons the Steele and Imanaga injuries have not tanked a season where they are well-suited to win the National League Central. Through his eleven starts, Boyd has a 3.08 ERA with the aforementioned six quality starts. He has only once allowed more than four runs in a game, and that was against the Dodgers on April 23 when multiple fielding miscues allowed three runs to score unearned. Arguably, Boyd's worst start of his season came about a week ago in Cincinnati, when he lasted just four innings and gave up four runs on eight hits. In fact, the only two walks Boyd issued in May came during that start against the Reds. Otherwise, Boyd has pitched more like an ace for the Cubs this season. While doing that on the mound, Boyd is also providing value to the Cubs in the clubhouse. As a big league veteran who has been in the majors since 2015, he has taken on a mentoring role with some of the younger pitchers. Namely, Ben Brown, who has spent some of his days between starts tracking pitches with Boyd to help him prepare for upcoming outings. And in general, Boyd's attitude and demeanor are filled with gratitude for his current circumstances. Having gone through periods of uncertainty because of injuries, Boyd has a perspective on where he is now that is rubbing off in the locker room at Wrigley Field. 'It's such a positive vibe,' shortstop Dansby Swanson told reporters. 'Someone that has that perspective on life is awesome to be around. Just not taking anything for granted, just really enjoying showing up every day, just enjoying the ins and outs of the game, the grind of the game. 'He's somebody that we've definitely enjoyed having here, and we're going to continue to. I'm just happy that he's on our team and that he's healthy.' Boyd, for his part, knows that even though he has been very successful to this point in the season, there is no guarantee of what will come in the future. 'I don't know what tomorrow holds, but I just know what I'm going to do when the ball is in my hand,' Boyd said. 'When the ball is in my hand, I know what I'm going to do. And I know what I'm commanded to do, and I'll do that. Day after day, whenever. Whatever comes tomorrow, we'll deal with it.' One thing that is for certain is that the Cubs made a very wise investment in Boyd. Even if he does not keep up with the kinds of numbers he is posting through the first two months of the season, Boyd has already supplied the Cubs with considerable value. As things currently stand, the Cubs are 14 games above .500, have the second-best run differential in baseball, and they are tied for the most wins in the National League. They have a three-game lead over the Cardinals in their division, and that's despite St. Louis going 18-7 this month and riding a nine-game winning streak from May 4 to May 12. They can thank Matthew Boyd for at least some of that. Their offense is one of the best in baseball, but even with the highest run-scoring lineup, the best teams will crumble if they are not getting good pitching from the starting staff. As the season approaches its third month, it looks like Boyd was one of the best investments the Cubs front office made this offseason.
New York Times
6 days ago
- Health
- New York Times
Justin Steele's post-surgery timeline and outlook, as he watches the first-place Cubs
CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs anticipate All-Star pitcher Justin Steele will return to their rotation at some point during the first half of the 2026 season, potentially next May or June, depending on how he recovers from major surgery on his left elbow. An ideal version of the 2025 Cubs would have had Steele lined up to start a playoff game in October. That possibility was dashed in April, when he underwent a season-ending procedure to repair his flexor tendon and ulnar collateral ligament. In his absence, the first-place Cubs have consistently found different ways to win games and reshape their pitching staff, demonstrating resilience and creativity. Advertisement Wanting to feel that energy and looking for a break from the monotony of his rehab program in Arizona, Steele is planning to make regular visits to Wrigley Field to support his teammates and check in with the club's staff. With a black brace on his left arm, Steele met with reporters in the home clubhouse before Tuesday's 4-3 11-inning win over the Colorado Rockies, publicly addressing his future for the first time since the operation. 'Any time you get an MRI, you're crossing your fingers, just hoping it comes back clean,' Steele said. 'They saw some stuff getting a little bit worse from the last few times I've gotten an image of it, so it made sense to go in there and figure out what it was. 'Obviously, it sucks. But as soon as you find out the news, you start processing it, trying to figure out what the next steps are, what's the best plan of action for me and my family and the team.' Steele underwent Tommy John surgery as a minor-league prospect in 2017, which became part of his long journey to Chicago and the gradual development that turned him into a National League Cy Young Award contender. Though this was not classified as a second Tommy John procedure, that rehab experience will be valuable. Justin Steele is hanging out in the Marquee broadcast booth! — Cubs Insider (@realcubsinsider) May 28, 2025 'There's a different mentality once you've been through it,' Steele said. 'You kind of know what the tunnel looks like. I remember when I was going through TJ, it was like: 'Am I going to throw the same? Is the ball going to come out different?' There are so many thoughts that are running through your mind. With this one, I can tell already it's going to be the same when I get back. If anything, it's going to be better.' In the meantime, Steele has found a new routine with his wife, Libby, and their son Beau, sitting back and following what could be a magical season on the North Side. Advertisement 'Obviously, I'd like to be out there playing, but it's fun being a fan,' Steele said. 'Libby and Beau and I schedule our days around what time the game's starting. We make sure we're all on the couch. He's got his toys in front of the TV, ready to play. It's been fun to watch.' (Photo of Justin Steele pitching on April 7, before he left the game with elbow tightness: Matt Marton / Imagn Images)
New York Times
12-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Cubs' strong start: 3 key, under-the-radar performances
The Chicago Cubs' solid start to the season has earned multiple players plenty of headlines. Pete Crow-Armstrong has quickly become a national star and added to his status with a tying home run Sunday in an eventual 6-2 road loss to the New York Mets. Kyle Tucker has slowed after a red-hot start, but he's the star bat the lineup so desperately needed. Advertisement Even Matthew Boyd has shone as the Cubs' top two starters — Justin Steele and Shota Imanaga — have been felled by injuries. Boyd gave up two runs in six innings of work Sunday afternoon, allowing just six hits while striking out eight and walking none. On the season, he has a 2.78 ERA with a 23.4 percent strikeout rate and a 6.7 percent walk rate. Despite losing their second series in a row, the Cubs are still five games above .500 (23-18) and in first place in their division. Entering play Sunday, Cubs opponents had a .555 winning percentage, nearly 30 percentage points higher than the second team on the strength-of-schedule list. That's a larger gap than the second and 18th teams on the list. The schedule lightens significantly, however, as their opponents the rest of the way have a .462 winning percentage, which would be the easiest remaining schedule in baseball. That the Cubs are still holding strong despite such a difficult schedule and two key injuries to their starting staff says a lot about their resilience. With the schedule easing a bit, it feels like a good time for them to go on a run. Though the big names have delivered, the Cubs have needed some grinder-like performances from players who haven't been getting as much attention. Here are three key players who have flown under the radar through the first 41 games. Rea is using his four-seamer at a career-high rate of 52.9 percent. The last two seasons, he used it under 20 percent of the time, and his previous high was 39.8 percent in 2020, when he tossed just 14 innings with the Cubs. It's just never been a pitch he's had much confidence in. But last season with the Milwaukee Brewers, Rea got advice from a former Cubs pitcher that may have keyed his hot start this season. Last summer, veteran pitcher Wade Miley suggested to Rea that he move to the first-base side of the rubber. After an awful September, Rea decided to take Miley's advice this past winter. The results have been stunning. 'I felt like it cleaned up my delivery a little bit,' Rea said. 'My direction home was a little better. On the third-base side, I had to open up my front shoulder a little bit earlier to get that pitch glove-side. Now that I'm on the first-base side, my direction is more towards home, and I'm able to stay closed longer.' Advertisement Rea says his fastball has more 'life,' something he believes can't be measured. Essentially, he described it as deception. By staying closed longer, opponents have a tougher time picking up the four-seamer, and it ends up getting on hitters quicker. The Cubs' pitching coaches have encouraged Rea to use his four-seamer more. Though the San Francisco Giants got hold of a few last week, it's still been his most valuable pitch. His sinker used to be his most-used pitch and, often, by Statcast's Run Value metric, his least effective offering. Now he's leaning on the four-seamer, and it's been incredibly valuable for him. 'It was just (the coaches) reminding me to not be afraid to use it,' Rea said. 'The results we've gotten with it so far have given me confidence to go to it.' Without Rea's standout performance thus far — a 2.43 ERA in 29 2/3 innings — the losses of Steele and Imanaga would be hurting much more. Many numbers are fascinating about Happ's solid start to the season, but his 18.7 percent strikeout rate stands out. Once a big swing-and-miss guy, Happ has turned himself into a sub-20 percent strikeout hitter. He's doing that while maintaining a high walk rate (12.8 percent) and giving the Cubs a stable leadoff presence who is setting the tone for a great offense. 'I think I'm doing a good job of discipline,' Happ said. 'Swinging at pitches I can hit and putting those ones in play. I'm still having long at-bats, still walking at a high clip, so I'm very happy about it.' Early on, Happ's ISO is just .113, which would be the lowest of his career. Some would suggest that more contact has led to a drop in power. But the reality is the quality of contact is on par with most of Happ's prior seasons. His .450 xSLG is nearly 70 percentage points higher than his .381 slugging percentage. Advertisement 'It just tells me I've been hitting the ball hard,' Happ said. 'The ground-ball rate's low, I'm hitting the ball hard in the air — all those things are good. The slug isn't matching the expected numbers or how I feel it's coming off the bat. But I think that's a good sign that it's there and will be there.' Happ missed the last two games of the Mets series with oblique pain. Manager Craig Counsell told members of the media in New York that Happ was going to go through his normal work Sunday and remains day to day. Though the Cubs have outfield depth with Seiya Suzuki and more young talent in the minors, losing Happ for an extended period would sting. He might not be grabbing much attention, but he's been as steady as they come at the top, and it seemed like the power was about to come as well. Of pitchers who have tossed at least 10 innings, Keller leads the Cubs with a 27.3 percent strikeout rate. But it doesn't stop there, only Gavin Hollowell (7.7 percent) has a better walk rate out of the current bullpen than Keller's 7.8 percent. Who leads the staff in ground-ball rate? Keller, at 59.2 percent. He misses barrels, gets weak contact and just does it all. 'To have good seasons, you need some surprises,' Counsell said. 'From the start of spring training, Brad's been a really pleasant surprise. In spring training, we thought we had something there, and I think he's continued to deliver on that.' Despite being a starting pitcher for much of his career, Counsell trusts Keller in all sorts of situations. Keller has had one rocky outing, with a lot of bad batted-ball luck baked in as well, but has otherwise been up to the challenge. Counsell has such high expectations and a strong belief in Keller, so he's not willing to settle for what he's done so far. 'I still think Brad's got more in him,' Counsell said. 'We're putting Brad in a lot of new experiences.' Keller has come in as an opener, relieved with runners on base in a big situation, worked high-leverage innings late in close contests and been asked to get more than three outs. These are different tasks than he's ever been asked to do consistently in the past, and it takes experiencing it to really know what it's like. So far, he's passing these tests with aplomb and looks like one of the most reliable and trustworthy arms on the staff. (Top photo of Brad Keller: Gregory Fisher / Imagn Images)
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cubs-Angels Trade Idea Sends Tyler Anderson to Chicago
Despite having multiple injuries to their frontline starters, the Chicago Cubs are off to an impressive 22-17 record, and they sit in first place in the National League Central. Lefty starter Justin Steele is lost for the season, and Shota Imanaga, who is off to a 3-2 start in 2025 with a 2.82 ERA and 34 strikeouts, was just sent to the Injured List. Advertisement The Cubs' starting rotation is now filled with either young starters who don't have much big league experience, or veterans who aren't true aces. This has led to some murmurs about Chicago looking to trade for a frontline starter. The Cubs may be able to hold their own in the NL Central, but if they want to be a true competitor, they will need to add to their staff somehow. In this trade pitch, the Cubs would acquire starter Tyler Anderson from the Los Angeles Angels in return for reliever Julian Merryweather and a top prospect in Kevin Alcántara. Anaheim Angels starter Tyler Anderson is among the starters expected to be traded this season.© Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Anderson is a two-time All-Star and appears to be in the prime of his career. He was a late bloomer, but the 35-year-old would be a great fill-in piece to help stabilize the Cubs' rotation. The Angels had a solid start to 2025, but things have evened out, and they may not compete this season. Advertisement This trade provides a great opportunity for the Angels to get a solid prospect in Alcántara, who could be called up this season and get real reps. As for Chicago, they already have a full outfield, and there might not be room for Alcántara in the next couple of years. Related: Cubs Get Excellent Update on Justin Steele Trade Replacement
