Justin Steele took the mound on Opening Day to start the Chicago Cubs‘ 2024 campaign. There was more excitement surrounding the Cubs than in the four years prior. After a strong showing in 2023 that ended in close disappointment, the team returned ready to challenge for the National League Central crown and make a run into October.
However, disaster struck the team and pitching staff almost immediately. After attempting to field a weak ground ball, Steele pulled a hamstring and had to be helped off the field. He immediately went to the injured list as the Cubs called up young prospect Ben Brown.
Since Steele’s injury, the Cubs have been able to piece together sustainable starts from a cast of many. Specifically, Shōta Imanaga and Javier Assad have been incredible to start the season. Jameson Taillon has come off the injured list looking like exactly what the Cubs signed up for when bringing him to Chicago. Brown, Hayden Wesneski, and Keegan Thompson have also contributed to the staff during Steele’s absence.
Fortunately, Steele’s absence timeline has played out exactly as expected. After spending a few days in Mesa, Arizona, throwing bullpen sessions and simulated games, Steele returned to the mound in-game with AAA-Iowa in his first rehab start on Wednesday afternoon.
The Iowa Cubs sent Justin Steele to the mound to take on the Omaha Storm Chasers in his first rehab start after injury. Steele threw 63 pitches over 3.1 innings of work. He struck out four batters while allowing six hits and three runs. As Iowa play-by-play man Alex Cohen mentions above, only one of the six hits surrendered had an exit velocity of over 100 miles per hour.
Generally speaking, this is the line anticipated for a first start coming off an injury. Steele had many close calls ruled as balls that could have objectively gone a different way, so the 22 balls to 42 strikes stat does not tell the whole story. Six hits tell us he was finding the zone and letting batters make contact, which is common in rehab starts. You want to make sure you can still find the zone.
An update from Meghan Montemurro tells us that while Kyle Hendricks will make a rehab start with AA Tennessee tomorrow, Steele will work out with Iowa tomorrow and then meet the Cubs back in Chicago when they return. Manager Craig Counsell did not close the door on this being his only rehab start, though. He said the decision will be made when it is needed to be made.
