<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/cubs-news-justin-steele-comments-braves-dodgers-playoffs');   ga('set', 'title', 'Cubs star Justin Steele’s fiery mindset will catch Braves, Dodgers’ attention as playoffs loom');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Justin-Steele_s-fiery-mindset-will-catch-Braves-Dodgers_-attention-as-playoffs-loom.jpg"></figure><h1>Cubs star Justin Steele’s fiery mindset will catch Braves, Dodgers’ attention as playoffs loom</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2023-09-26T11:26:08-07:00">September 26th, 11:26am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2023-09-26T11:26:08-07:00">September 26th, 11:26am</time><address><a href="https://joeymistretta.wordpress.com">Joey Mistretta</a>Joey Mistretta is a sports writer/editor who covers multiple sports. Notably, Mistretta covers baseball, basketball, and football, with an emphasis on MLB as a Lead Editor. He is originally from a small town in Southern California. Mistretta graduated college with a degree in broadcast journalism from Biola University.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">MLB</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Justin Steele has been <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/cubs-news-justin-steele-electric-performance-cy-young-race" rel="noopener">fantastic for the Chicago Cubs</a> in 2023. The left-hander has emerged as an All-Star pitcher and isn’t afraid of the big moments. The Cubs are currently holding onto the third and final NL Wild Card spot. With the playoffs right around the corner, Steele recently <a href="https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/38490805/justin-steele-became-chicago-cubs-ace" rel="noopener">commented on his mindset</a> ahead of the postseason.</p><p>“That’s what it’s all about,” Steele said, via Jesse Rogers of <i>ESPN</i>. “I love pitching in big games. Give me the ball.</p><p>“It’s what I want. The ball in the biggest moments.”</p><h2><b>Cubs’ Justin Steele is ready for the playoffs</b></h2><p>Justin Steele, a left-handed starting pitcher, worked in a versatile role during his rookie season in 2021. He started nine games and pitched in 20 total contests, ultimately recording a 4.26 ERA. Steele became a full-time starter in 2022 and impressed, posting a quality 3.18 ERA across 24 starts.</p><p>But Chicago struggled overall last year. In 2023, Marcus Stroman was set to lead the charge, but one had to wonder if Steele could perform well for a contending ball club. He’s answered the call and more throughout 2023. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/cubs-news-marcus-stromans-strong-endorsement-justin-steele-nl-all-star-team-starter" rel="noopener">Steele has even impressed Stroman</a>.</p><p>As of this story’s publication, Steele has a 3.00 ERA and 1.167 WHIP. He leads the league in home runs allowed per nine innings, and has recorded 170 strikeouts compared to 35 walks. The Cubs wouldn’t be where they are without Steele. His performance has been especially important considering Stroman’s injury concerns.</p><p>Chicago needs to finish the year strong if they want to hold onto an NL Wild Card spot. If Chicago books a ticket to the playoffs, Steele will not back down in the big moments.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Cubs star Justin Steele’s fiery mindset will catch Braves, Dodgers’ attention as playoffs loom

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/cubs-news-justin-steele-electric-performance-cy-young-race');   ga('set', 'title', 'Cubs ace Justin Steele reacts to electric performance vs. Giants as Cy Young race heats up');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Cubs-news-Justin-Steele-reacts-to-electric-performance-vs-Giants-as-Cy-Young-race-heats-up.jpeg"></figure><h1>Cubs ace Justin Steele reacts to electric performance vs. Giants as Cy Young race heats up</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2023-09-05T08:28:48-07:00">September 5th, 8:28am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2023-09-05T08:28:48-07:00">September 5th, 8:28am</time><address><a>Andrew Meyers</a>Andrew Meyers is an avid sports fan with a fondness for Philadelphia teams that rarely love him back. He has two degrees from Quinnipiac University, including a master's in sports journalism. Outside of ClutchPoints, Meyers does play-by-play broadcasting for various colleges in the northeast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">MLB</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>With the final month of the regular season underway in Major League Baseball, the award races are starting to heat up. One of the most wide-open races is for the National League Cy Young Award and Chicago Cubs ace Justin Steele made his case to win it with a <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/justin-steele-goes-eight-scoreless-innings-k-s-12-vs-giants" rel="noopener">brilliant start</a> against the San Francisco Giants on Monday.</p><p>In front of a raucous Wrigley Field crowd, Steele tossed eight scoreless innings and struck out a career-high 12 batters to earn his MLB-leading 16th win of the season.</p><p>“It’s just Wrigley. It’s just the fans realizing the moment,” Steele said, via Jordan Bastian. “They brought the energy and I kind of like to feed off it. It was awesome to pitch in that environment.”</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/cubs-justin-steele-joins-spencer-strider-in-elite-2023-company-after-gem-vs-giants" rel="noopener">Steele’s 2023 season</a> has been full of standout performances, but none of them were quite like Monday’s. His numbers look plenty good enough to win the award as he’s posted a 16-3 record with 153 strikeouts and a 2.55 ERA, the second-best ERA among qualified starters.</p><p>Not only did Steele pick a great time to have this sort of performance for his Cy Young resume, but the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/cubs-franchise-history" rel="noopener">Cubs needed a win</a> to maintain their three-game cushion in the NL wild card picture. The Giants are one of four teams trying to chase down the Cubs for one of the three wild card spots. The Cubs guaranteed that the Giants couldn’t catch them during this three-game set with the series-opening win.</p><p>With Marcus Stroman sidelined, Justin Steele has stepped up in a big way for the Cubs. His last four starts were all quality starts and the Cubs went 4-0 in those games. Steele could find himself holding some hardware if he continues pitching like that.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Cubs ace Justin Steele reacts to electric performance vs. Giants as Cy Young race heats up

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/cubs-justin-steele-joins-spencer-strider-in-elite-2023-company-after-gem-vs-giants');   ga('set', 'title', 'Cubs’ Justin Steele joins Spencer Strider in elite 2023 company after gem vs. Giants');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Cubs-news-Justin-Steele-joins-Spencer-Strider-in-elite-2023-company-after-gem-vs.jpeg"></figure><h1>Cubs’ Justin Steele joins Spencer Strider in elite 2023 company after gem vs. Giants</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2023-09-04T15:13:46-07:00">September 4th, 3:13pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2023-09-04T15:13:46-07:00">September 4th, 3:13pm</time><address><a>Wyatt Allsup</a>Wyatt Allsup is a sports journalist from Fort Worth, Texas. He joined ClutchPoints in May 2023 and covers football, basketball, baseball and mixed martial arts. Wyatt now lives in Southern California, where he has previously covered USC football and basketball for Sports Illustrated.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">MLB</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Chicago Cubs lefty Justin Steele found a groove in Monday’s start against the San Francisco Giants. He threw eight scoreless innings, allowed only two hits, and struck out 12. Steele is only the <a href="https://twitter.com/JesseRogersESPN/status/1698796040122446322" rel="noopener">second pitcher this season</a> to record such a start, according ESPN Stats &amp; Info. The other was Atlanta Braves <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/spencer-strider-john-smoltz-braves-record" rel="noopener">strikeout machine Spencer Strider</a> on April 24 against the Miami Marlins.</p><p>The Cubs went on to defeat the Giants 5-0, improving to 74-64 on the season. Chicago currently holds the second National League Wild Card spot and trails the first-place Milwaukee Brewers by three games in the NL Central. The Marlins, in the third Wild Card position, are 3.5 games back from the Cubs, so they have some cushion in the playoff standings for now.</p><p>Justin Steele, meanwhile, is having a phenomenal season. Monday’s start was his seventh straight win, improving his record to 16-3. His 16 wins are now tied for first in the majors with none other than Spencer Strider of course. Steele has thrown 152 innings and struck out 153 batters, posting a season ERA of 2.55. He earned his first All-Star appearance this year in just his third MLB season. He also currently has the second-highest odds on FanDuel to win the NL Cy Young award. San Diego Padres ace <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/padres-news-blake-snell-surpasses-spencer-strider-zac-gallen-nl-cy-young-favorite" rel="noopener">Blake Snell is the favorite</a>.</p><p>Monday’s game was the first of a three-game series against the Giants. The Cubs are rolling towards their first postseason appearance since 2022, winning 12 of their last 17 games. Chicago closes the season with a three-game series in Milwaukee that could end up deciding the NL Central.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Cubs’ Justin Steele joins Spencer Strider in elite 2023 company after gem vs. Giants

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/cubs-news-chicago-ace-justin-steele-big-time-performance-takes-center-stage-in-crucial-win-vs-brewers');   ga('set', 'title', 'Cubs ace Justin Steele’s ‘big-time performance’ takes center stage in crucial win vs. Brewers');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Cubs-Justin-Steele.jpeg"></figure><h1>Cubs ace Justin Steele’s ‘big-time performance’ takes center stage in crucial win vs. Brewers</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2023-08-30T06:39:05-07:00">August 30th, 6:39am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2023-08-30T06:39:05-07:00">August 30th, 6:39am</time><address><a>Sam DiGiovanni</a>Sam DiGiovanni started at ClutchPoints as an associate editor in 2021 and became the site's Philadelphia 76ers beat reporter ahead of the 2022-23 season. He graduated from Marist College in May of 2022 and has written for TheKnicksWall.com and CenterFieldMarist.com in the past.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">MLB</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Chicago Cubs gave Justin Steele the ball in a crucial matchup with the Milwaukee Brewers. The 28-year-old lefty went to work with six scoreless innings to power a win where his offense gave him just a single run for support.</p><p>Steele allowed six hits and a walk but struck out eight batters, fighting through some pain after getting struck in the leg by a hit from Victor Caratini. The Cubs held on for the 1-0 win at home, putting them within four games of the lead in the National League Central and one game above the final Wild Card spot.</p><p>Cubs manager David Ross said that Steele had a <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/justin-steele-throws-six-scoreless-innings-in-cubs-win" rel="noopener">“big-time performance”</a> against their division rival, according to Jordan Bastian of MLB.com. “I know where his heart is and who he is down to the core,” he said. “I wasn’t too worried.”</p><p>The Cubs, as Ross indicates, know what Steele <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/cubs-news-marcus-stromans-strong-endorsement-justin-steele-nl-all-star-team-starter" rel="noopener">is capable of</a>. His performance against the Brewers is perhaps his biggest of the year. His eight Ks tie for the second most he has had this season and is the most he has had in a shutout performance. Although his six hits were the most he has surrendered in such games, he came through when it mattered and kept the goose egg in Milwaukee’s runs column on a night when Chicago’s bats froze up.</p><p>“I loved it. I love pitching in that environment,” Steele said, via MLB.com. “The fans here do a really special job of knowing the situation, knowing what’s at stake, knowing when to get on their feet. I mean, I think there was a moment in the first inning they were on their feet, because they knew a big pitch was coming.”</p><p>Justin Steele may not win the National League Cy Young award but he’s putting together a very good case. He has the best ERA+ among qualified pitchers in baseball (168), does a great job at preventing walks (5.2 percent) and is tied for the league lead in quality starts (18). His 2.69 ERA is second only to the San Diego Padres’ Blake Snell but Steele’s WHIP and FIP are superior.</p><p>The Cubs are <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb-cubs-intense-stretch-run-schedule-puts-playoff-destiny-own-hands" rel="noopener">serious contenders for the playoffs</a> and Steele’s pitching is a huge part of it.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Cubs ace Justin Steele’s ‘big-time performance’ takes center stage in crucial win vs. Brewers

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb-odds-top-pitcher-strikeout-prop-bets-featuring-justin-steele-josiah-gray');   ga('set', 'title', 'MLB Odds: Top pitcher strikeout prop bets featuring Justin Steele, Josiah Gray');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Best-pitcher-strikeout-prop-bets.jpg"></figure><h1>MLB Odds: Top pitcher strikeout prop bets featuring Justin Steele, Josiah Gray</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2023-07-27T09:09:16-07:00">July 27th, 9:09am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2023-07-27T09:09:16-07:00">July 27th, 9:09am</time><address><a>Cameron Zunkel</a>Cameron Zunkel is a former college athlete for the University of Illinois, Springfield. During that time, he earned his masters degree in Communication. After graduating in 2022, Cameron signed to play independent professional baseball with the Joliet Slammers, but his time was cut short due to injury. Nonetheless, his love for baseball and all sports never faded. Cameron loves the sports media and sports journalism side of things and does some light writing for a Chicago Cubs blog, as well. To go along with that, he loves sports betting and fantasy sports. He also loves digging on the research and creating content for both sports betting and fantasy sports!</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Betting</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>There are just eight teams in action on Thursday in the baseball world. However, there are some good pitcher prop bets to consider. This will post will continue our MLB odds <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/betting" rel="noopener">series</a> as we hand out the best pitcher strikeout prop bets for July 27th.</p><p>The Angels and Tigers play each other in a double-header, the Nationals take on the Mets, the Cubs visit the Cardinals, and the Guardians play the White Sox for our MLB action on Thursday. Despite the lack of games, there is plenty of pitcher talent to take into consideration. With that said, there is definitely a chance for a few of these pitchers to rack up the strikeouts. Just because there are no games, does not mean there are not bets.</p><p>Below we will look at the best pitcher strikeout prop bets for Thursday.</p><p><i><b>Here are the <a href="https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/navigation/mlb" rel="noopener">pitcher strikeout prop odds</a>, courtesy of FanDuel</b></i></p><h2><b>Pitcher strikeout prop odds</b></h2><p>Justin Steele over 5.5 strikeouts: +104</p><p>Josiah Gray over 4.5 strikeouts: +118</p><p>Michael Lorenzen under 4.5 strikeouts: +130</p><p>Patrick Sandoval over 4.5: -108</p><h2>Why Justin Steele will have over 5.5 strikeouts</h2><p>Justin Steele is not the biggest strikeout pitcher this season. He has 96 strikeouts in 103 2/3 innings, so the numbers are not terrible. What makes this bet intriguing is his ability to rack up the strikeouts against the Cardinals. In his first start against St. Louis, Steele only struck out three batters. The last two starts against the Cardinals are a different story, though. He struck out eight and nine against the Cardinals in his last two starts, so I like his chances of getting at least six in this game. He has reached six strikeouts in four of his last four starts, so this is one of my favorite plays today.</p><h2><b>Why Josiah Gray will have over 4.5 strikeouts</b></h2><p>Gray has been the Nationals ace this season. He has a 3.45 ERA with 98 strikeouts in 112 1/3 innings pitched. Gray has reached five strikeouts or more in six of his last eight starts, against some pretty good teams. What makes me like this play is Gray already has a start against the Mets this season. In that game, Gray went six innings and struck out nine batters. If Gray can go another six innings in this game, he should easily reach five strikeouts.</p><h2><b>Why Michael Lorenzen will have under 4.5 strikeouts</b></h2><p>Lorenzen has struck out 76 batters in 100 2/3 innings pitched. He has been very good this season for the Tigers, but he does struggle to strike people out. Lorenzen has made 17 starts this season, and this under has hit 10 times. The Angels are a pretty good team and they are playing well. I expect the Angels to make a lot of contact in this game, so that is why I believe the under is going to hit in this game. Lorenzen might go six or seven innings, but I think he strikes out four or less batters.</p><h2><b>Why Patrick Sandoval will have over 4.5 strikeouts</b></h2><p>This number just seems so low for Sandoval. For starters, the Tigers are top half of the league in strikeouts. With Sandoval starting game two of the day between the teams, the Tigers may not be starting some of their usual players. Another reason this number seems low is because of how Sandoval has been pitching lately. In his last six starts, Sandoval has had five or more strikeouts five times. With his matchup with the Tigers in this game, I expect him to have another five strikeout game.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2024 SEASON STATS
IP	ERA	K	WHIP	WINS
404	3.07	135	1.10	5

2024 SEASON STATS
IP	ERA	K	WHIP	WINS
404	3.07	135	1.10	5

Justin Steele

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MLB Odds: Top pitcher strikeout prop bets featuring Justin Steele, Josiah Gray

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