5:30pm: Proper-hander Jack Neely shall be recalled because the corresponding transfer for Steele, per Montemurro on X.
4:35pm: The Cubs introduced to reporters that left-hander Justin Steele shall be positioned on the 15-day injured record. His subject is left elbow flexor tendinitis, per Maddie Lee of the Chicago Solar-Instances on X. The corresponding transfer has not been revealed but.
Steele was supposed to begin Monday’s sport however was scratched attributable to some elbow soreness. The Cubs took a few days to guage issues and have now seemingly determined that Steele will want some down time.
Supervisor Craig Counsell tells Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune (X hyperlink) that it’s potential Steele may very well be again after a minimal stint, relying on how issues develop within the subsequent ten days. “If we will get him again to regular he’s gonna pitch,” Counsell says. Presumably, Steele’s IL placement shall be backdated by three days, the utmost allowed. Meaning he may technically be again in 12 days if all the things goes properly.
Whether or not that’s a practical expectation or not shall be revealed in time. Both means, it’s a blow for the Cubs within the brief time period. The membership continues to be clinging to rivalry right here in September, at present sitting 4.5 video games again of a playoff spot. The lefty has 477 1/3 innings below his belt at this level with a 3.24 earned run common. That features 128 innings this yr with a 3.09 ERA, 24.9% strikeout price, 6.5% stroll price and 48.4% floor ball price.
Shedding that sort of performer will harm a membership with little room for error. Jordan Wicks was simply reinstated from the injured record a number of days in the past, so the membership can nonetheless have a five-man rotation with out Steele, with Wicks slotting in subsequent to Jameson Taillon, Shota Imanaga, Javier Assad and Kyle Hendricks. It’s been a tough yr for Hendricks, who at present sports activities a 6.60 ERA general and was been bumped to the bullpen earlier within the season. Maybe the return of Wicks would have despatched him to a reduction position once more however that may not be potential now that Steele has been subtracted from the equation.
