Chicago Cubs Coach Speaks on Improvements Made by Ace Pitcher

A Chicago Cubs pitcher impressed pitching coach Tommy Hottovy with his approach this season.

Aug 10, 2021; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Justin Steele (35) talks with pitching coach Tommy Hottovy (68) during the fourth inning of their game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Wrigley Field. / Jon Durr-Imagn Images

The Chicago Cubs could potentially have a major void to fill in their pitching staff ahead of the 2025 season.

While Kyle Hendricks’ production slipped during the 2024 campaign, he is someone that the rest of the pitching staff has relied on as a wealth of knowledge. The longest-tenured player on the team, his impact goes beyond the numbers he produces on the field.

Set to hit free agency, it will be interesting to see what the team decides to do with him. Based on production alone, it would be easy to say the team should move on.

Hendricks had the worst season of his career, recording a 6.28 ERA; his previous high was 4.80 in 2022. He was removed from the rotation at one point, making five appearances out the bullpen.

It was the first time in his career he was called upon as a reliever multiple in a season, as the only other relief appearance he made was in 2016.

Should the Cubs opt to move on from Hendricks, someone will need to step up and fill the leadership void. One player who could be ready to handle that role is Justin Steele.

The 29-year-old wrapped up his fourth season in Chicago on Tuesday with an abbreviated four-inning outing against the Philadelphia Phillies. He was very good for the second straight season, and pitching coach Tommy Hottovy loved one area he improved in; his game preparation.

“It's very easy to think, ‘I have a routine,’” Hottovy said, via Jordan Bastian of MLB.com. “But no, it's, ‘Why are we doing that? What's your goal? What are you thinking about?’ There’s intent with everything we do. It should be for a reason. We don't want to work just to work. Let's be more pointed about what we're doing. And he's taken that in every aspect -- last year was the big jump.”

That kind of thing is part of why Hendricks believes that the team’s rotation is in good hands with Steele leading the way. Not only is he setting an example of how to be a Major Leaguer, his production proves the process is working.

His numbers from 2023, when he made his first All-Star Game and finished fifth in the Cy Young Award voting, are nearly identical to what he has done in 2024.

“It's amazing,” Hottovy said. “We were looking at his season this year and how eerily similar the numbers are to last year.”

Just how similar was the production?

As shared by Bastian, “Steele ended this tour with a 3.07 ERA and a 24.3% strikeout rate after logging a 3.06 ERA and a 24.6% strikeout rate in ‘23. The lefty had a 1.10 WHIP in ‘24 and a 1.17 WHIP in ‘23. He allowed homers at a paltry rate of 0.80 per nine innings this season, following his showing of 0.73 a year ago…

Heading into Tuesday’s outing, Steele had limited lefties to a .220 weighted on-base average and a .220 slugging percentage, compared to the .337 wOBA and .473 SLG he allowed last year. Against righties, the left-hander was “eerily similar” again, giving up a .281 wOBA this season after a .280 mark last year.”

That is the kind of consistency that every manager wishes he could get from his players. The only thing that stood out as a difference for him in the last two campaigns was the innings pitched.

After throwing 173.1 in 2023, he logged only 134.2 in 2024. He made six fewer starts, as a left hamstring early in the season and elbow tendinitis slowed him down at points.