Cubs roster moves for September 18

CHICAGO – The Chicago Cubs today activated left-handed pitcher Justin Steele and right-handed pitcher Jorge López from the 15-day injured list, and optioned right-handed pitchers Daniel Palencia and Jack Neely to Triple-A Iowa.

Steele is scheduled to start today’s 1:20 p.m. CT game vs. Oakland at Wrigley Field, a game that can be seen on Marquee Sports Network and heard on 670 The Score and in Spanish on WRTO 1200.

Steele, 29, is 5-5 with a 3.09 ERA (44 ER/128.0 IP) with 131 strikeouts, compared to 34 walks, and a 1.09 WHIP. Dating to Aug. 4, he made five starts of two earned runs or fewer and went 3-0 with a 2.02 ERA (6 ER/26.2 IP) and 11.14 strikeouts per nine innings, before being placed on the injured list on September 1 with left elbow tendinitis. He was tied for the major league lead in August with three wins and his 2.02 ERA ranked fourth in the N.L. during the month

In 2023, his third major league season, Steele was named an MLB All-Star and finished fifth in N.L. Cy Young voting, going 16-5 with a 3.06 ERA (59 ER/173.1 IP), 176 strikeouts and a National League-leading 0.73 home runs per nine innings. The Lucedale, Miss., native was drafted by the Cubs in the fifth round of the 2014 draft and is 29-21 with 3.24 ERA (172 ER/477.1 IP) in 96 career major league games – 85 starts – over four seasons.

López, 31, is 1-1 with two saves and a 2.19 ERA (6 ER/24.2 IP) in 22 games since joining the Cubs. He was placed on the injured list on September 3 with a right groin strain. Across 14 appearances from July 11-August 16, he threw 16.0 scoreless innings with 20 strikeouts and a .203 opponent batting average.

The Caguas, P.R., native is 24-43 with 31 saves, a 5.27 ERA (311 ER/531.0 IP) and 465 strikeouts in 280 major league appearances, all but 58 of which came in relief, across parts of nine seasons. He was signed by the Cubs as a free agent on June 11.

Palencia, 24, tossed 2.0 scoreless innings last night vs. Oakland following his recall yesterday. In 10 games in relief this season with Chicago, he is 0-1 with a 6.14 ERA (10 ER/14.2 IP).

Neely, 24, has allowed six runs in 6.0 IP (9.00 ERA) across six relief outings for Chicago this season. The righthander made his major league debut Aug. 21 vs. Detroit.