Chicago Cubs Front Office Could Extend Top Starting Pitcher During MLB Offseason

As the Chicago Cubs prepare to focus on MLB free agency, they should not overlook extending pitcher Justin Steele.

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The Chicago Cubs face a vital offseason decision in the coming months regarding whether to extend starting pitcher Justin Steele. 

After another solid season in Chicago, one that, despite missing some time due to injury, still supplied the Cubs with a 3.07 ERA over 134.2 innings of work. With plenty of questions surrounding the direction of the ballclub, and the concerns of the pitching as a whole, Steele has solidified himself as the ace of the staff when not on the injured list. 

This past summer, right before the MLB trade deadline, president of baseball Jedd Hoyer announced that the team would not be aggressive and would shift their efforts to 2025 and beyond. A great way to start with those future efforts would be to lock in one of the team's best pitchers over the past few seasons. 

Although Steele is not an unrestricted free agent until the 2028 season, the left-hander is arbitration-eligible for the second season this winter. Last year, the team agreed on a one-year $7.95 million contract, ultimately avoiding arbitration with Steele.  A decision to lock in the Cubs ace could further solidify Hoyers plans for 2025 and beyond. Plus, getting away from arbitration hearings with one of your top players is always a good thing for both parties involved. 

After being named an all-star and finishing fifth in the National League Cy Young race in 2023, Steele followed up in 2024 with six fewer starts due to a hamstring injury at the begining of the season. 

The 29-year-old has been with the organization since he was drafted in the fifth round of the 2014 MLB Draft and has provided  Wrigley Field with some great memorable moments to make him a fan favorite. This past season, Steele picked up the “best baseball moment of his life” after recording his first career complete game in Chicago against the Los Angeles Angels. 

Signing Steele long-term would give the organization two lefties at the top of the rotation for the foreseeable future. The team signed Shota Imanaga to a four-year, $53 million contract this past offseason that will run through the end of the 2028 season. 

If Hoyer wanted to extend Steele out to end the same season, a three-year deal would suffice. According to Spotrac, the market value for the left-hander would be remotely close to Imanga’s deal. He is believed to bring in a three-year deal for approximately $59 million, which is just shy of $20 million a season.

As the Cubs look to return to the postseason for the first time since the 2020 season, ensuring the team’s rotation is bolstered for the future should be a top priority for the club before they reach spring training.