The Chicago Cubs enter Tuesday’s matchup against the defending World Series champions with high expectations of their own for 2025. The Cubs will play the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Tokyo Dome to begin a regular season that should end with an NL Central championship and a spot in the playoffs.
The Cubs traded with the Houston Astros for right fielder Kyle Tucker and added bullpen help to aggressively pursue a division title. However, Chicago could improve their starting rotation.
Chicago has been eyeing veteran help for their rotation. They’ve been linked to Miami Marlins star Sandy Alcantara. The Cubs could promote Ben Brown to the fifth spot in the rotation.
The Chicago Cubs need Justin Steele to be the anchor
With questions about the starting rotation being the Cubs’ biggest issue this spring, Jeff Passan of ESPN suggested Justin Steele will have to be the team’s “anchor” in 2025.
“The real answer to this is that it hinges on Chicago’s rotation, which Steele happens to anchor,” Passan wrote. “The Cubs are confident they’re going to score runs this season. They also might have the best defense in all of baseball. Their bullpen, with Ryan Pressly closing and a full year of Porter Hodge, could be a real problem for hitters.
“If Steele does his thing — his ERA over the past three seasons: 3.18, 3.06, 3.07 — and Shota Imanaga and Jameson Taillon are as good as they were last year, and Matthew Boyd carries his stuff year-over-year and the fifth rotation spot stabilizes, Chicago will solidify its status as NL Central favorite.”
Steele is a good source for a ship’s anchor. At 29, the lefty has a career ERA of 3.24 and 496 strikeouts through his first four seasons. He earned an All-Star appearance in 2023.
Steele started in 24 games in 2024, earning a 5-5 record and an ERA of 3.07 through 134.2 innings pitched.
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