Chicago Cubs starting pitcher This offseason, Justin Steele did not win any awards. Some speculated that he may have made the All-MLB second team, but he finished behind Kevin Gausman, Sonny Grey, Nathan Eovaldi, Jordan Montgomery, and Kyle Bradish.
With the season Steele had, earning an All-Star berth and finishing fifth in NL Cy Young voting, there was a fair case to be made that he deserved to make the second team at the very least.
“It’s tempting to award this honour to the Giants’ Logan Webb, who began the season as my starter on the All-Underrated Team but was not named to the All-MLB team. Webb, on the other hand, finished second in the NL Cy Young vote. Steele finished fifth in that congested category, but his 146 ERA+ was fourth in MLB among pitchers with at least 150 innings pitched. In 173 1/3 innings, Steele finished 16-5 with a 2.06 ERA and a 5% walk rate. Though he didn’t win any accolades, he deserves to be recognised for truly establishing himself as an ace in a season in which he helped guide the Cubs into late-season contention.”
While Steele did not receive any official accolades, it is encouraging to see that he is being recognised as someone who should have been on these lists.
The 28-year-old left-hander had a strong season, which Cubs fans hope will continue as he hits the mound for the team in 2024 and beyond.
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