Two Important Chicago Cubs Players Named X-Factors Down the Stretch

The Chicago Cubs are on the outside looking in at the playoffs, but there are two important players going forward that will determine their fate.

Aug 22, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Justin Steele (35) pitches during the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Wrigley Field. / Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

The Chicago Cubs will need to scrape and claw their into the playoffs.

Entering Friday, they sit four games back of the final Wild Card spot, and based on the way they have played lately, anything is possible.

It will be tough to catch either the Atlanta Braves or New York Mets, however they've won seven out of their last 10 and have been hot lately.

The Athletic's Jim Bowden pinpointed a player of concern and the team's biggest X-factor for the rest of the season as the Cubs attempt to play fall baseball.

The first of which, and who Bowden labeled as the biggest concern, is left-hander Justin Steele and his health.

The immediate concern is that Steele was just recently placed on the 15-day IL due to elbow inflammation. Although he received positive news when it came to the severity of the injury, the fact Chicago will be without him for a big chunk of this month is cause for concern.

The 29-year-old has picked up where he left off after last season's breakout performance, though this is his second IL stint of the year. This time, it's much scarier given that it it's for an elbow injury compared to a strained hamstring, even if the MRI produced good results.

It will be a matter of Steele coming back at full strength for the final weeks of the season, which is not always a guarantee when dealing with an elbow problem. Despite Shota Imanaga having a terrific rookie year, the Cubs will still need their ace and his 3.09 ERA in order to make a big run and push for the third Wild Card.

Bowden also named their trade deadline addition of Isaac Paredes as the biggest X-factor.

Acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays, the 2024 All-Star was brought in to be an offensive upgrade over Christopher Morel.

Unfortunately, Paredes has struggled mightily in his time on the North Side. In his first 32 games in a Chicago uniform, the 25-year-old is slashing just .170/.293/.286 with three home runs, four doubles and a .579 OPS.

His OPS+ with the Cubs sits at 64, which is a substantial drop off from the 126 mark he had with the Rays that made him an All-Star this year.

Chicago has had one of the hottest offenses in baseball over the last month and that is with Paredes having been essentially a non-factor.

If he can get back to the player he was in Tampa Bay over the next month, it will add another element of power to the Cubs' lineup and alleviate some of the worry with Steele being out for at least two weeks.

It's going to be a tough road to the playoffs for Chicago, and an injury at a time like this won't help.

However, they have gotten hot at the right time to give themself a chance, and if they're able to sneak into the playoffs, anything can happen in September.