Cubs ace pitcher Justin Steele joins race for Cy Young Award following phenomenal career-best start
Chicago Cubs pitcher Justin Steele has worked his way into the Cy Young conversation late in the season. The southpaw pitcher has been phenomenal this season and is a key reason the Cubs remain in the playoff picture.
Steele was never considered a top MLB pitcher and has had to work to make a name for himself. Few people paid attention when the Cubs drafted him in the fifth round of the 2014 MLB draft. He spent seven seasons in the minors before making his major league debut in 2021.
Since 2021, Steele has developed into one of the most dangerous pitchers in the majors. This season, he leads the National League in wins and ranks second among qualified pitchers in ERA. His eye-catching performances have made him a contender for his first Cy Young award.
"When you talk about the elite pitchers in the NL, you have to mention Justin Steele," former player and podcaster Trevor Plouffe said on the Jomboy "Baseball Today" podcast, calling Steele an "elite" pitcher.
Plouffe was particularly impressed with Steele's outing versus the San Francisco Giants on Monday. Steele managed eight scoreless innings and allowed just two hits. He struck out 12 batters during the Cubs' 5-0 win at Wrigley Field.
This season, Steele has a 16-3 record and a spectacular 1.14 WHIP. He has held opposing hitters to a .242 average and is averaging over a strikeout per inning.
Justin Steele remains one of the contenders for the NL Cy Young as we approach the final stretch of the season
The National League Cy Young race will go down to the wire this year with several players still in contention.
"Justin Steele has taken the loss in only one of his last fifteen starts and in that one he allowed only one earned run," Codify tweeted.
San Diego Padres star Blake Snell remains the frontrunner with a 12-9 record and a 2.50 ERA.
Atlanta Braves star Spencer Strider was the early season favorite. He has a 16-4 record and a 3.56 ERA. Strider leads the NL in WHIP (1.05) and strikeouts (245) and ranks second in batting average against (.203).
Justin Steele has made a compelling case for the Cy Young. He will need to perform at a high level for the remainder of the season to win the prestigious award.