Steele leading by example in Cubs' rotation: 'He's a real bulldog'?

PHILADELPHIA -- Kyle Hendricks does not know what the future holds as he prepares for his final start of the season for the Cubs and then heads into free agency. What the longest-tenured member of the team does believe is that Chicago’s rotation is in good shape for the future.

A large part of Hendricks’ confidence in that regard is due to the steady rise of lefty Justin Steele as a leader for the Cubs’ group of starters. In a 10-4 win over the Phillies on Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park, Steele put the finishing touches on another solid season, even if injuries robbed him of a full campaign.

“My confidence level could not be any higher,” Hendricks said. “With Steeley -- what he's shown, who he is -- if he's healthy and he's out there, he's a top starter in the league. When he’s out there, he’s absolutely dominant. And just what he provides for the identity of a rotation -- he’s a bulldog.

“The competitive fierceness he takes out there every single game, that trickles down to everybody else. Having that at the top to look up to, it’s like what I had with Jon Lester as a young guy. That’s special. And you can’t quantify what that means for younger guys on the team.”

When Hendricks was breaking into the Majors with the Cubs a decade ago, he had the likes of Lester, John Lackey and Jake Arrieta to offer a more veteran blueprint for competitiveness and routine. Hendricks has enjoyed growing into his own form of leadership, which is through setting a professional example and being open to conversation.

Hendricks said he now sees the 29-year-old Steele taking more ownership of his own role in being one of the players the younger crop of Chicago's arms can follow. Cubs pitching coach Tommy Hottovy agreed, pointing out how Steele took a noticeable step forward last season with the focused intent of his daily routine and workouts.

“It's very easy to think, ‘I have a routine,’” Hottovy said. “But no, it's, ‘Why are we doing that? What's your goal? What are you thinking about?’ There’s intent with everything we do. It should be for a reason. We don't want to work just to work. Let's be more pointed about what we're doing. And he's taken that in every aspect -- last year was the big jump.”

Last year, Steele made his first All-Star team, had a case to start the Midsummer Classic for the Senior Circuit and then finished fifth in voting for the National League Cy Young Award. While Steele fell roughly 40 innings shy of last year’s total (he logged 173 1/3 frames in 2023, compared to 134 2/3 this season), his production was similar across the board.

Steele ended this tour with a 3.07 ERA and a 24.3% strikeout rate after logging a 3.06 ERA and a 24.6% strikeout rate in ‘23. The lefty had a 1.10 WHIP in ‘24 and a 1.17 WHIP in ‘23. He allowed homers at a paltry rate of 0.80 per nine innings this season, following his showing of 0.73 a year ago.

“It's amazing,” Hottovy said. “We were looking at his season this year and how eerily similar the numbers are to last year.”

Underneath the hood, Steele even showed improvement in this season, which was truncated by an early-season left hamstring setback and left elbow tendinitis earlier this month. The lefty held batters to a .219 average (compared to .251 in ‘23) and dramatically improved his numbers against lefty hitters with the help of a sinker that he called a “game changer.”

Heading into Tuesday’s outing, Steele had limited lefties to a .220 weighted on-base average and a .220 slugging percentage, compared to the .337 wOBA and .473 SLG he allowed last year. Against righties, the left-hander was “eerily similar” again, giving up a .281 wOBA this season after a .280 mark last year.

Steele was asked for the aspect of this season that gives him the most pride.

“Not just being complacent with what happened last year and who I was last year,” said Steele, who is under contractual control through 2027. “Just constantly trying to get better and get better in certain departments. I felt like myself and the staff did a good job of that this year.”

And while his effort on Tuesday was abbreviated -- he logged four innings in his second outing back from the injured list -- Steele set himself up for a positive start to an important offseason.

“He gave us what we needed and finished on a strong note,” manager Craig Counsell said. “That puts him in a good position.”