CHICAGO -- Justin Steele did not have the most conventional start to the 2024 season. The Cubs¡¯ ace went down with a left hamstring strain 4 2/3 innings into his outing on Opening Day and missed a little over five weeks as a result.

The lefty has made four starts since coming off the 15-day injured list earlier this month, and although his surface statistics aren¡¯t in line with what he did last season, when he finished fifth in NL Cy Young Award voting, perhaps they don¡¯t tell the whole story.

¡°I really think Justin's pitched better than his numbers, the lines would show,¡± Cubs manager Craig Counsell said on Wednesday afternoon. ¡°He's given up some home runs with men on base. You¡¯re gonna get zinged by that.¡±

That analysis at least played out in Wednesday¡¯s 9-2 loss to the Braves at Wrigley Field. Steele allowed five runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings, including a homer, with five strikeouts and one walk. Two of those runs came across after he exited during a six-run seventh inning for the Braves.

¡°Overall, I thought he pitched well,¡± Counsell said postgame. ¡°Again, the line score I don¡¯t think looks the way it should look. But he did well. He was out there for the seventh inning, which means you¡¯re having a good start.

¡°The seventh inning got away from us a little bit.¡±

Steele was largely matching Max Fried on Wednesday as the Atlanta lefty carried a perfect game into the sixth inning. The Cubs' southpaw allowed a leadoff single in the third inning to Michael Harris II and then a two-run homer to Adam Duvall, which gave the Braves a 2-0 lead. Duvall¡¯s homer came on a 92.1 mph four-seamer atop the strike zone that he went up and got to.

The home run ball has been a difference maker in Steele¡¯s last few outings. He entered Wednesday with a 5.21 ERA in four starts, including five home runs allowed in 19 innings.

On May 11 against the Pirates, he allowed six runs in four innings, surrendering three homers. Pittsburgh had a four-run third inning in which they hit two long balls. Oneil Cruz¡¯s solo homer that game came on an 83 mph slider up in the zone. He hit it a Statcast-projected 427 feet and generated a 114.1 mph exit velocity, and Steele noted it was a ¡°bad pitch.¡±

Thursday against the Pirates, Steele allowed five runs (four earned) in 5 2/3 innings, including two long balls.

¡°I feel like I¡¯m getting the four-seamer in on the righties, which I like to do,¡± Steele said. ¡°They just do a good job of beating me there. You just kind of have to tip your cap, maybe throw a different pitch, different location. You just have to evaluate it, but I feel good about executing the pitch. Just gotta take positives from it.¡±

Even with that long ball, the Cubs only trailed 2-1 when Steele took the mound for the seventh inning. He allowed a leadoff double to Orlando Arcia, and with one out hit Duvall with a pitch.

With runners at the corners, Zack Short hit an RBI safety squeeze bunt that made it 3-1. Jose Cuas came on in relief and allowed a walk and sac fly before Marcell Ozuna¡¯s three-run homer broke the game open. Ozuna fouled off four straight 1-2 offerings in the eight-pitch battle with Cuas.

¡°In the end, it was Ozuna having a great at-bat,¡± Counsell said of the seventh snowballing.

Wednesday marked Steele¡¯s longest outing of the season, both by total pitches (93) and number of innings. His four-seamer averaged 92.7 mph; entering the start, he was averaging 92.2 mph this season, tied for a career best since 2022, his first full season in the starting rotation.

It¡¯s something he can hang his hat on despite the recent results, and overall, he echoed Counsell¡¯s analysis in feeling he¡¯s pitched better than the final lines say.

¡°Especially going off the way I¡¯ve been feeling, I would say the past two or three starts,¡± Steele said, ¡°especially with my heater. My velo has kind of been at an all-time high as far as I've been starting in the big leagues.¡± ¡°So that feels really good. I¡¯m really happy with that.

¡°I feel like I'm executing at a pretty high level at this point. Feeling really good with where I'm at.¡±