Chicago Cubs left-handed pitcher Justin Steele remains optimistic despite the team scratching him from his scheduled start on Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Steele felt soreness in his elbow on Monday and an MRI came back positive on Tuesday. The test showed elbow inflammation, which he had been feeling “for a while,” according to Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune. More importantly, however, it showed no structural damage, which Steele told MLB Network's Taylor McGregor is “good news.”
The Cubs have not placed Steele on the Injured List yet and he believes he will pitch again this season, The Athletic's Patrick Mooney reports. Veteran pitcher Kyle Hendricks will start in Steele's place on Tuesday.
Even if Steele's optimism is warranted, it's a disappointing setback for a pitcher who was in the midst of yet another strong season. In 22 starts, Steele had a rotation-best 3.09 ERA with 105 hits allowed in 128 innings. He also sported a 1.086 WHIP and 9.2 strikeouts per nine innings.
Jameson Taillon, who started for the Cubs Monday night in their 5-3 loss to the Pirates, was candid when speaking to the media about his teammate after the game.
“It stinks,” he said. “From everything I heard, we're hoping it's just a quick thing. He means a lot to this group.”
Justin Steele's injury comes at the worst time for the Cubs
The Cubs enter Tuesday at 71-67, 3.5 games out of the third National League Wild Card spot. Their chances of making the postseason aren't great, and losing their best pitcher for any period of time is a crushing blow.
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After starting on Opening Day and immediately going on the IL with a hamstring injury, Steele has returned to be one of the elite pitchers in the National League. Chicago, meanwhile, is making a late charge to get back into the playoff race. The Cubs have won eight of their last 10, including that loss on Monday, but now will rely on Hendricks to try and prevent a losing streak. In 19 starts this season, Hendricks has a 6.75 ERA and a -1.8 bWAR. His 6.0 per nine strikeout rate is the worst since he started 13 games as a rookie.
Hendricks will face the phenom Paul Skenes (2.23 ERA, 0.954 WHIP, 11.2 SO/9), who has taken baseball by storm as a rookie.
To make things more difficult, the Cubs are looking up at the New York Mets in the Wild Card standings and the Mets are riding a five-game winning streak with nine wins in their last 12 games.
