Chicago Cubs Set First Turn Through Starting Rotation

The Chicago Cubs have reportedly set their first turn through their start rotation as Opening Day approaches.

Mar 9, 2024; Mesa, Arizona, USA; Chicago Cubs opening day starting pitcher Justin Steele (35) / Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports

The appear to have set up the first run through their five-man starting rotation as the season opener with the Texas Rangers approaches.

The Cubs broke came on Tuesday in Mesa, Ariz., and are on their way to Arlington, Texas, for their Opening Day game with the World Champion Texas Rangers on Thursday.

Justin Steele was already named the Opening-Day starter by manager Craig Counsell. It will be his first Opening Day start.

Steele led the Cubs in victories, going 16-5 with a 3.06 ERA. He struck out a career-high 176 in 173.1 innings. He only walked 36. He pitched well enough in the first half to earn a selection to the National League All-Star Team and led the NL in home runs allowed per nine innings with 0.7.

Steele finished in fifth place in Cy Young voting last season, as he was listed on 17 of the 30 ballots and got one second-place vote.

Per the Chicago Tribune, the rotation appear to line up with Kyle Hendricks getting the ball in the second game of the series with the Rangers, which is set for Saturday. Both teams have an off-day after Thursday’s opener.

Hendricks went 6-8 with a 3.74 ERA in 24 starts last season.

Sunday’s finale with the Rangers should feature rookie left-hander Jordan Wicks, who broke in with the Cubs last August after an injury to Marcus Stroman.

The former first-round pick had a great start to his Major League career, as he went 4-1 with a 4.41 ERA in seven starts as the Cubs vied to make the National League playoffs.

The Cubs return home to face Colorado on Monday and it appears their new free-agent signee, Shota Imanaga, will make his Wrigley Field debut. Imanaga, a Nippon Professional Baseball veteran, threw more than 1,000 innings overseas with a career ERA of 3.19. From 2019-23 he had a 2.79 ERA with a 26.2 percent strikeout rate and a 5.9 percent walk rate.

The rotation ends on Tuesday with Javier Assad, who moved into the rotation last season and went 5-2 with a 3.05 ERA in 32 games, with 10 starts.