Justin Steele Getting MRI for Forearm Tightness (UPDATE: Cautious Optimism?)
Chicago Cubs lefty Justin Steele was due to get an MRI on his pitching arm today after leaving yesterday’s game with what was described as “forearm tightness.” Nobody was registering major panic after the game, but concern about anything impacting the forearm is just the natural flow. It’s impossible not to worry.
As we await official word, ESPN’s Jesse Rogers did a little reporting on the radio today. He was on with Marc Silverman, filling in as part of Waddle & Silvy, and he said that he was told that, although Steele might miss a start, it didn’t sound like today has – so far – revealed anything terribly serious. Whether that means the MRI definitively came back clean, or if that’s still just the general sense of how Steele is feeling, I’m not certain.
A Justin Steele update from @JesseRogersESPN today on @WaddleandSilvy – he might miss a start, but Rogers being told it doesn't sound all that serious. (Recall, Steele was getting an MRI today after leaving yesterday with "forearm tightness." So this would seem good news.) — Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) June 1, 2023
I expect we’ll get something more official from the team tomorrow when they start their series in San Diego. Until then, cautious optimism?
*Original post follows*
Didn’t think that’s what a Hayden Wesneski piggyback appearance would look like. Hopefully this is nothing, and Wesneski pitches well now in relief of Justin Steele.
That is to say, Justin Steele’s day was done after just three innings today, despite pitching well and being at only 29 pitches. David Ross and the athletic trainer came out to visit Steele in the middle of the third inning, but after a brief conversation, Steele stayed in to finish the inning. You could hope, on that basis, that his exit today was something more like an illness or cramping or something like that, rather than an injury. But we’ll see when we see.
UPDATE: Jed Hoyer says on the broadcast that Justin Steele was trying to stretch out his forearm for most of the game, and the Cubs wanted to be cautious in that removal. No definitive word on what the Cubs are thinking, though. I hate the word forearm there.
UPDATE 2: Officially left forearm tightness:
Cubs announce Justin Steele left today's game with left forearm tightness. — Sahadev Sharma (@sahadevsharma) May 31, 2023
Came to figure this was going to be the in-game update. Unfortunately doesn’t tell us much of anything. This can be something, or it can be nothing. We’ll know more later, I guess.
UPDATE 3: When you get pulled for “forearm tightness,” I would absolutely hope you get imaging done before picking up a ball again. Hopefully it shows nothing.
Source: bleachernation.com
