Steele to IL, Roberts Recalled

[KCCub]

 

Not great…

[JBears79]

Ugh. Dont like that.

[Jason Ross]

[Irrelevant Dude]

Let's hope this is just Steele's annual elbow issue that turns out to be nothing serious.

[We Got The Whole 9]

Hope Rea can hold the fort.

 

The Cubs are pretty good about proactively shutting guys down and avoiding catastrophic injuries. They haven't exactly had power arms but whos the last SP to go down to TJ in-season? I'm optimistic they accomplish that again. 

[Transmogrified Tiger]

There are 5 off days in the next 20 days, so they don't even *need* Rea to make more than 1-2 starts even if Steele is a bit longer than the minimum stay.  Hopefully that means they're being opportunistic about a more minor concern. 

[chibears55]

15 day IL is usually a month for the Cubs.

I know it just 1 start out of every 5 games, just hope it doesn't end up where they lose the momentum they have going and end up with a losing streak.

[musclemom]

Sigh

[Rcal10]

1 hour ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

There are 5 off days in the next 20 days, so they don't even *need* Rea to make more than 1-2 starts even if Steele is a bit longer than the minimum stay.  Hopefully that means they're being opportunistic about a more minor concern. 

True. But I think they like getting Imanaga an extra day from time to time, so I would expect they still go with a 5 man staff. Maybe if the IL stint is only 20 days or so, Rea gets 3 starts. Or maybe Horton or Wicks comes up to take the start. I know they brought up Roberts now, but the day they need a starter they can bring one up. 

[Stratos]

His velo has been down a tick too, plus his performance has been terrible besides last start, which was helped by the wind/cold and a struggling Texas lineup.

I'm no doctor but they should really consider a 60-day IL stint and just shut him down.  If he's not throwing for a month then gears up + Iowa rehab that should cover the 60 days easily.

Also whoever is scheduling these early April night games is an idiot.

[squally1313]

3 minutes ago, Stratos said:

His velo has been down a tick too, plus his performance has been terrible besides last start, which was helped by the wind/cold and a struggling Texas lineup.

I'm no doctor but they should really consider a 60-day IL stint and just shut him down.  If he's not throwing for a month then gears up + Iowa rehab that should cover the 60 days easily.

No

[Stratos]

1 hour ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

He had the offseason to rest this but it still flared up again. Given the struggling performance all spring and early season IMO he's officially on Tommy John watch.

[squally1313]

Justin Steele, first four starts after injury last year: 6.53 ERA, 7.4 K/9, 2.18 BB/9

Justin Steele the rest of the year: 2.47 ERA, 9.22 K/9, 2.55 BB/9

Justin Steele through four starts this year: 4.76 ERA, 8.34 K/9, 1.99 BB/9

He's fine, and it's in everyones best interest that he comes back quickly and healthy

[Stratos]

3 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

Justin Steele, first four starts after injury last year: 6.53 ERA, 7.4 K/9, 2.18 BB/9

Justin Steele the rest of the year: 2.47 ERA, 9.22 K/9, 2.55 BB/9

Justin Steele through four starts this year: 4.76 ERA, 8.34 K/9, 1.99 BB/9

He's fine, and it's in everyones best interest that he comes back quickly and healthy

That first injury last year was hamstring not elbow.

He has all the red flags:  velo down, unusually poor performance, elbow discomfort/inflammation, multiple IL stints.

They need to tread carefully.

[squally1313]

2 minutes ago, Stratos said:

That first injury last year was hamstring not elbow.

He has all the red flags:  velo down, unusually poor performance, elbow discomfort/inflammation, multiple IL stints.

They need to tread carefully.

It wasn't a specific injury reference, it was a reference to him starting slow last year and then being normal Justin Steele after that. 

[Rcal10]

33 minutes ago, Stratos said:

His velo has been down a tick too, plus his performance has been terrible besides last start, which was helped by the wind/cold and a struggling Texas lineup.

I'm no doctor but they should really consider a 60-day IL stint and just shut him down.  If he's not throwing for a month then gears up + Iowa rehab that should cover the 60 days easily.

Also whoever is scheduling these early April night games is an idiot.

Assuming you are not a doctor, that is the only thing in your post that is correct. Why not wait and see what is up with his inflammation? His velocity down is not unusual to start a season and definitely not unusual in ridiculously cold conditions. Why does everything have to be doom and gloom? You don’t put him on a 60 day IL without even finding out what the problem is. He sounded like it was very precautionary by the Cubs and appeared a little annoyed they put him on the Il, at all. A 60 day IL at this time makes zero sense. If they do an MRI and find something there will be time to change his IL status. 
Oh, actually something else I agree with you on is how ridiculous playing a night game in Wrigley in early April is. Yes, it is very stupid.

[mul21]

1 hour ago, Stratos said:

His velo has been down a tick too, plus his performance has been terrible besides last start, which was helped by the wind/cold and a struggling Texas lineup.

I'm no doctor but they should really consider a 60-day IL stint and just shut him down.  If he's not throwing for a month then gears up + Iowa rehab that should cover the 60 days easily.

Also whoever is scheduling these early April night games is an idiot.

This is all incredibly dumb.

[Hot Sauce]

Tendonitis is not an indication for Tommy John surgery. 

[soccer10k]

Hopefully they don’t move Shota to Monday next week. Going on Tuesday and Wednesday, and Shota is scheduled to pitch Tuesday.

[imb]

i wanna cope too but repeated elbow pain (end of the season IL stint followed by early April IL stint) 8 years after a tommy john is at the very least a worrying sign

[Rcal10]

3 minutes ago, imb said:

i wanna cope too but repeated elbow pain (end of the season IL stint followed by early April IL stint) 8 years after a tommy john is at the very least a worrying sign

Even if it is something to worry about, you don’t automatically put him on the 60 day IL, as Stratos suggested. Worrying it “could be” something serious isn’t ridiculous. Overreacting and suggesting he should go in the 60 day Il is, at this time. 

[Hot Sauce]

11 minutes ago, imb said:

i wanna cope too but repeated elbow pain (end of the season IL stint followed by early April IL stint) 8 years after a tommy john is at the very least a worrying sign

Tendonitis requires rest and can remedy itself with the aid of anti-inflammatory treatments. Pain is an entirely separate and more concerning issue. However, I have only read that this is tendonitis and nothing more.

[imb]

12 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

Even if it is something to worry about, you don’t automatically put him on the 60 day IL, as Stratos suggested. Worrying it “could be” something serious isn’t ridiculous. Overreacting and suggesting he should go in the 60 day Il is, at this time. 

Ok I’m clearly not talking about a 60 day IL stint lol

[Jason Ross]

2 hours ago, Stratos said:

That first injury last year was hamstring not elbow.

He has all the red flags:  velo down, unusually poor performance, elbow discomfort/inflammation, multiple IL stints.

They need to tread carefully.

His velo has been down since August. Eovladi's velo was down 3mph on Monday, too.  His start against Arizona was his second highest velo since July 2024. He was pretty excellent last year even during a lowered velo. 

Lets not create an undue panic. Is it good his velo is lowered than it was a bit about go? No. Is it good he's on the IL with elbow tendinitis? No. Does that mean he should be a 60-day guy and on TJS watch? Also, no. The Cubs have done a great job avoiding TJS with their arms, they deserve a bit of a benefit of the doubt here.

Id rather not be in this position, but until he actually has a TJS issue, it's probably best to look at this like September more than anything. 

[Rcal10]

45 minutes ago, imb said:

Ok I’m clearly not talking about a 60 day IL stint lol

Oh, I know you weren’t. And I agree until we know it is just some inflammation and he is ok, of course we should have some concern. The Cubs have had a history of not being totally honest regarding injuries.