ARLINGTON, Texas — The Chicago Cubs positioned left-hander Justin Steele on the 15-day injured listing with a left hamstring pressure Saturday after their Opening Day starter was injured fielding a bunt in opposition to the Texas Rangers.
Cubs supervisor Craig Counsell stated an MRI on Steele’s hamstring revealed a Grade 1 pressure and that the 2023 All-Star will likely be out a minimum of a month.
“Which, frankly as we noticed him strolling off the sector, it is most likely higher than a minimum of I anticipated,” Counsell stated Saturday. “He is a lot better immediately. Performed catch immediately, which is a good signal. He will miss the month of April.”
Counsell added that after Steele’s gait returns to regular, a selected timeline for his return will likely be established. If all goes effectively, the Cubs hope to have him again on the mound in Could.
The Cubs recalled right-hander Ben Brown, 24, from Triple-A Iowa, with Brown in line to make his main league debut after getting two begins amongst 5 appearances in spring coaching.
Steele had six strikeouts when he exited with two outs within the fifth inning of the defending World Collection champion Rangers’ 4-3 victory in 10 innings within the opener Thursday. The groups have been off Friday.
A primary-time All-Star final season, Steele got here off the mound to subject Leody Taveras‘ sacrifice bunt when he lunged and fell awkwardly. He went down in foul territory, grabbing the world of his left hamstring. Steele left his first Opening Day begin after a quick go to from an athletic coach.
Steele, 28, was 16-5 with a 3.06 ERA in 30 begins final season, when he completed fifth within the NL Cy Younger Award voting.
Brown was 6-8 with a 5.33 ERA in 22 video games, together with 15 begins, for Triple-A Iowa final season. A Thirty third-round draft decide by Philadelphia in 2017, Brown was acquired in a 2022 commerce that despatched reliever David Robertson to the Phillies.
The Related Press and ESPN’s Bradford Doolittle contributed to this story.