Chicago Cubs Ace Edges Out Rookie in Latest Starting Pitcher Rankings

It will be little surprise which two pitchers are ranking among the top 30 starting pitchers in baseball right now.

Aug 17, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Justin Steele (35) pitches during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Wrigley Field. / Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports

Shota Imanaga and Justin Steele have been the ballast for the Chicago Cubs all season when it comes to starting pitching.

So, when a recent rankings of the league’s starting pitchers came out, it was little surprise to see the pair toward the top. The only question was the order.

The Athletic recently ranked the Top 150 starting pitchers in baseball, an exercise it goes through at various times during the season.

In this new ranking Steele barely got the better of Imanaga.

The site used a number of stats, including Stuff+, future projections, strikeout-minus-walk rate, recent performances and the expected future schedule for the final month.

Steele was ranked No. 23, up from No. 27 in the last rankings. Imanaga was at No. 26, up a bit from No. 28.

As the Cubs enter the final month, they’re hoping to finish strong.

Steele finished in the top five of Cy Young voting last year and was Chicago's opening-day starter. A hamstring injury in that opener put him on the shelf for a month. But the lefty is 5-5 with a 3.09 ERA and has turned into an emotional leader for the Cubs.

Imanaga has been a sensation all season and when Steele was on the injured list it was the 30-year-old left-hander that helped keep Chicago in contention. He was selected to the All-Star Game and is a contender for the league’s Rookie of the Year award.

He is 10-3 with a 3.08 ERA through 24 starts but has only claimed two wins since the All-Star break.

The rest of the Cubs’ rotation as a significant drop from there. Another left-hander, Jordan Wicks, moved up to No. 87 after not being ranked. He’s been fighting an injury the past couple of months and hasn’t pitched since June.

Jameson Taillon moved down from No. 91 to No. 97, while Javier Assad moved up slightly from No. 126 to No. 124.

Chicago didn’t have another starter in the Top 150, which is a clear signal the Cubs need to address their rotation depth this offseason, either internally with a young pitcher like Cade Horton or a free-agent signing or trade.

The Cubs are at the Washington Nationals this weekend. Following that, Chicago returns home to host the Pittsburgh Pirates and the New York Yankees, followed by a road trip to the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Colorado Rockies.

Following a homestand against the Oakland Athletics and the Nationals, the Cubs made a quick trip to the Philadelphia Phillies before returning home to conclude the season against the Cincinnati Reds.