Cubs rumors: Former rival possible target, Stroman replacement, Alonso advantage
By Josh Wilson
Justin Steele can pick up where Marcus Stroman left off as in-house replacement
Justin Steele had another quality start on Tuesday night, contributing to a hugely needed 1-0 win over the division-leading Brewers with six innings, eight stirkeouts, one walk, and no earned runs on six hits.
Steele find himself on top of plenty of leaderboards this season. Among qualifying pitchers, he is:
- First in wins (15)
- Second in ERA
- Tied for second in quality starts (18)
That is... fantastic. And remember, Steele is under team control until 2028. This season, he's proven he can be the ace of the future and is an obvious candidate to take the torch from Marcus Stroman.
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Stroman, who has a player option this season, has pitched well, too, but age and financial considerations have prevented the organization from offering a contract extension he has very much wanted and publicly asked for.
Steele, on the other hand, is young, full of potential, and already winning games. Plus, he comes with the all-important team control.
The front office will perceive him as a better place to spend because of the lower risk. In the end, he might be the better option, too.
Ultimately, the Cubs could bring back Stroman this offseason as well, but whether or not they do, Steele is clearly the starter of the future for this rotation, whatever the rest looks like.