Cubs left-hander Justin Steele pulled off his hat and ran his hand through his damp hair as manager Craig Counsell strode to the mound with two outs in the third inning.
Steele, in his first game back from the 15-day injured list, wasn’t expected to pitch deep into the game. So, in a contest the Cubs would go on to lose 5-3, manager Craig Counsell pulled Steele at 57 pitches.
“Felt good to be back out there, feeling the jitters and stuff again,” Steele said after throwing 2 ⅔ scoreless innings. “Main thing: felt healthy.”
The Cubs officially handed the division title to the Brewers on Wednesday with the loss. And though they weren’t mathematically eliminated from the wild-card race, it’s virtually impossible for them to get back in it. So, the last week and a half of the season becomes about setting players up for next season as much as anything.
Steele has already put together a strong 2024 season, backing up his breakout performance the year before.
“He’s a guy that you can count on, just the ability to take the ball every fifth day,” shortstop Dansby Swanson said. “When he’s out there on the mound, you obviously feel like you have a really good chance to win. His competitive spirit and his mindset when he steps on the mound is fun to play behind.”
Steele didn’t allow a hit until he was two outs into the third inning and the A’s batting order turned over to the top. The three walks Steele issued – one in each inning – upped his pitch count. But he induced a double play to still face the minimum in the second inning.
Finally, in Lawrence Butler’s second at-bat against Steele, he found a hole on the left side of the infield and hit a sharp one-hopper through it. Then Brent Rooker fouled off four pitches before putting one in play, getting on top of a high fastball to sneak it through the right side of the infield for a single. Steele walked Ben Langeliers on nine pitches to spell the end of his outing.
“The third inning got a little long, maybe got a little tired in the third inning,” manager Counsell said. “But everything went well in terms of how he felt.”
Right-handed reliever Ethan Roberts replaced Steele and needed just two pitches to get out of the bases-loaded jam. Roberts gave up a solo home run the next inning, and fellow relievers Drew Smyly and Nate Pearson each surrendered two runs.
Roster moves
In order to reinstate Steele and reliever Jorge López (strained groin) from the IL on Wednesday, the Cubs optioned relievers Jack Neely and Daniel Palencia to Triple-A Iowa.
López retired the top of the lineup in order in the ninth inning to keep the Cubs’ hope of a comeback alive.
Injury update
Right-hander Hayden Wesneski joined the team Wednesday but was not immediately activated. He threw two innings in a Triple-A rehab outing Monday but could be reinstated from the 15-day IL (strained right forearm) during the Cubs’ four-game series against the Nationals this Thursday through Sunday.
“He’ll be active when we feel like there’s a need and it’s appropriate,” Counsell said.
Considering the Cubs used six relievers behind Steele on Wednesday, that could be sooner than later.