Steele looking for ‘next level’ with improved changeup
SURPRISE, Ariz. – The last time Justin Steele saw the Texas Rangers, he limped off the mound with an Opening Day injury that would keep him out for the next seven-plus weeks.
That wasn’t lost on Steele on Friday, after he faced the Rangers in his second start of the spring.
“I didn’t pull my hamstring,” Steele said. “So that was good.”
Steele had far more to feel good about following the Cubs’ 8-8 tie at Surprise Stadium, as he looked solid for most of his three-inning outing. Steele allowed two runs on two hits — both runs coming on the first of Kyle Higashioka’s two home runs — while striking out two.
The left-hander pumped in 26 of his 33 pitches for strikes, doing what he does best: attacking the zone and daring hitters to make him pay for it.
Higashioka’s homer came on one of the handful of sliders he threw, though that’s a mistake he won’t make the next time he sees the catcher in the box.
“I felt like it was a pretty decent pitch that he got a hold of,” Steele said. “When I got back to the dugout, [pitching coach Tommy Hottovy] showed me a heat map and it was like, ‘Yeah, that guy hits 1.200 OPS against left-handed spin, so maybe [don’t] throw that during the season.’”
