Despite career year last season, Cubs pitcher Justin Steele only looks forward
CHICAGO (CBS) – The Chicago Cubs have a pretty clear ace in Justin Steele.
The North Side pitcher is looking to build off a great season last year, with hopes of leading the Cubs to the postseason.
Justin Steele will begin his fourth big league season with top-of-the-rotation status after making an All-Star Game appearance last season and a fifth-place finish in Cy Young Award voting. Despite a career year in 2023, he's only looking forward.
"For me, it was a good year last year, but it's kinda in the rearview mirror at this point," Steele said. "It's cool that it happened, but it's kinda like, gotta do it again now."
Steele made it clear that the personal achievements will take a backseat to pitching the Cubs into October. Watching the wildcard Arizona Diamondbacks run to the World Series has stuck with him.
"We were right there last year," he said. "We were one game away, and the team that ended up getting the spot ended up going to the World Series. So I feel like, I mean, I can't speak for everyone in the locker room, but for me it tells me that we're one game away from having the chance to make a World Series run and that's kinda how you have to look at it. All you got to do it get into the dance and you can end up taking it all the way home."
New Cubs manager Craig Counsell has managed a Cy Young Award winner before. He's bent on keeping Steele on an ace track.
"Justin, to me, [has] a real confidence in what he's doing right now," Counsell said. "And that's a great lesson for all of us, and as young players try to take the next step in the game. That's what Justin did last year."
Steele had a bit of a headstart on camp. After giving himself a two-week grace period and taking a family vacation, he worked out in Arizona all offseason. He's banking on his 11 years of familiarity with the facility and the staff giving him a leg up on the 2024 season.