LOS ANGELES -- The Cubs are currently in a kind of holding pattern when it comes to determining what comes next for left-hander Justin Steele. One of the key pieces to Chicago¡¯s rotation, Steele is currently dealing with an elbow issue that has now flared up multiple times dating back to last year.
On Friday at Dodger Stadium, Cubs manager Craig Counsell was vague about the results of the MRI exam that Steele underwent on his left elbow on Thursday¡¯s off-day. Counsell noted that it is ¡°the same injury¡± (described as elbow tendinitis) that Steele experienced last season, leading the team and pitcher to seek more medical feedback.
¡°We¡¯re going to get some more opinions on it,¡± Counsell said. ¡°We¡¯re kind of dealing with the same thing we dealt with last year and, for that reason, I think Justin wants to make sure, and we want to make sure, that we get the right information moving forward. So, he¡¯s going to get another opinion and then we¡¯ll go from there.¡±
Counsell said Steele would have follow-up testing at some point during the current road trip.
As for the rotation, the Cubs have not yet determined who will start Sunday against the Dodgers. Righty Colin Rea is one option out of the bullpen, while lefty Jordan Wicks is an alternative with Triple-A Iowa and on the 40-man roster. Wicks was recently scratched from his scheduled start with the I-Cubs.
¡°We¡¯re going to keep as many pitchers as we can available,¡± Counsell said when asked about Wicks missing a turn at Triple-A.
Steele, 29, was placed on the 15-day injured list on Wednesday (retroactive to Tuesday), meaning he would be first eligible for activation on April 23. Asked if a minimum stay was still a possible outcome for the pitcher, Counsell replied: ¡°When we get all the information, then we¡¯ll make those decisions,¡±
Counsell was then asked if elbow surgery was a possibility for Steele, who was an All-Star and National League Cy Young Award contender in ¡¯23.
¡°Again, I¡¯ll kind of repeat myself again, but that¡¯s where we¡¯re at,¡± said the manager. ¡°There¡¯s no decisions right now. Justin, he wants to get all the information, he wants to get another opinion. So until we do that, I think we¡¯ve got to wait for that and let him use all the information to decide what¡¯s next.¡±
Steele logged seven scoreless innings in his start against the Rangers on Monday, pitching in frigid conditions (34 degrees at first pitch) at Wrigley Field. The lefty felt discomfort in his elbow around the fifth inning, but opted to keep throwing. He is currently 3-1 with a 4.76 ERA and 21 strikeouts against five walks in 22 2/3 innings (four starts) this season.
¡°I was coming in [Tuesday] prepared to kind of go about the normal rotation, normal standard in-between-start stuff,¡± Steele said on Wednesday. ¡°Now, we¡¯ll, I guess, be able to figure out exactly what it is and attack it.¡±