Chicago Cubs' Ace Says No Contract Extensions Have Been Discussed

When the Chicago Cubs selected their fifth round pick in the 2014 MLB Draft, they probably didn't think they had just added their future ace.

They still had Jake Arrieta in their rotation and one year later added Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks.

Justin Steele was likely seen as a depth piece and someone who could eventually break through into the back-end of their starting rotation.

Fast forward to 2023 and the left-hander had to take on the ace manta after Marcus Stroman went down with injury during the second half of the season.

The 28-year-old answered the call, winning 16 games, recording an ERA of 3.06, was selected to the All-Star game and finished fifth in the National League Cy Young voting.

Even with the addition of Shota Imanaga this offseason, Steele likely still slots into their top spot when the 2024 season begins.

If the lefty can repeat his performance from last year, this will be a steal of a contract for the Cubs.

He agreed to a $4 million contract in 2024 with Chicago to avoid arbitration. Steele then has three more years of club control before hitting free agency.

That is great for the organization, but is difficult for the player.

Steele will be 32 when he hits the open market, largely limiting a massive payday that he could receive.

With that in mind, there was some thought maybe the Cubs liked what they had seen last season enough to give the left-hander a contract extension.

However, the ace told Patrick Mooney of The Athletic there haven't been discussions regarding anything long-term, simply saying "no" when asked if something had been talked about.

It makes sense from Chicago's perspective.

Last season was the first time Steele had thrown over 120 innings and will need to show more of a track record before they commit to something lengthy.

So, the rising star will enter this year on a very club-friendly deal and has another opportunity to prove he can be the ace of a contending team.