Sep 24, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Justin Steele (35) throws a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies in the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Photo: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Cubs Settle with Justin Steele, Nate Pearson to Avoid Arbitration

Originally posted on On Tap Sports Net | By Ron Luce | Last updated Jan 9, 2025 8:27 PM ET

The Chicago Cubs have gone dormant after making their big offseason splash, acquiring Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros. However, Thursday provided some action on the north side as the Cubs settled on contracts with a pair of pitchers, avoiding arbitration.

Thursday was MLB's deadline for teams and players to exchange arbitration figures. In addition, it becomes the official deadline for teams to settle with players, avoiding the painful arbitration process. For Nate Pearson, Justin Steele, and the Cubs, everyone can focus on baseball now. Pearson settled for $1.35 million and Steele settled for $6.55 million.

Pearson, acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays at the 2024 trade deadline, appeared in 19 games with the Cubs. Although his numbers in Toronto weren't spectacular, Pearson found some rhythm in Chicago, pitching to a 2.73 ERA. Pearson also made one late-season start and registered four holds out of the Cubs' bullpen.

As for Steele, the lefty had another spectacular season in Chicago, but got a late start due to an injury sustained on Opening Day in Texas. As a result, Steele didn't pitch again until May 6 and really didn't settle into a groove much before the beginning of June. Steele was also later sidelined again due to an elbow injury, limiting him to just 134.2 innings over 24 starts. That said, Steele still pitched to a 3.07 ERA, comparable to the numbers he posted in his breakout 2023 season.

Having both pitchers in the fold is calming for the front office. Steele has established himself as one of the best starting pitchers in baseball, while Pearson has seemed to blossom as a member of the Cubs' bullpen. Both will be key contributors to any success the Cubs experience in 2025.

This article first appeared on On Tap Sports Net and was syndicated with permission.

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