If you’re checking the box score to see who pitched for the Cubs today, you’re looking at a rotation that is finally starting to find its identity in this 2026 season. It wasn't just about one guy. Baseball rarely is these days, right? Today, the mound belonged to Justin Steele, but the story of how this game unfolded involves a bridge of relievers that Craig Counsell handled with his typical, almost clinical, precision.
Steele took the ball and reminded everyone why he's the anchor. He’s got that cross-fire delivery that just messes with a hitter's timing. It’s funky. It’s hard to pick up. And honestly, when he’s locating that four-seamer on the inner half to righties, he’s nearly unhittable. He went six strong today. He didn't have his "A" plus stuff—you could see him laboring a bit in the fourth when the pitch count started to swell—but he navigated it. That’s what an ace does. They win when they don't have the "good" slider.
The Starting Performance: Justin Steele’s Command
People often obsess over velocity. In today's MLB, if you aren't hitting 98 mph, some fans think you're a soft-tosser. Steele proves that's nonsense. He was sitting 92-94 mph today, but the late life on the ball was the differentiator. He induced a ton of weak contact. Ground balls to Nico Hoerner are basically automatic outs at this point.
When you look at the breakdown of who pitched for the Cubs today, you have to start with Steele’s efficiency in the early innings. He threw 14 pitches in the first. 11 in the second. That efficiency is what allowed him to survive a rocky fifth inning where he walked two batters. He ended his day with 94 pitches, 61 of them for strikes. That’s a professional outing. It kept the bullpen fresh, which is something Counsell has been preaching since spring training.
Navigating the Middle Innings
Once Steele exited, the game shifted into the hands of the high-leverage guys. This is where things usually get tense for Cubs fans. We've seen this movie before—a great start evaporated by a middle reliever who can't find the zone. But today was different.
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Tyson Miller came in for the seventh. Miller has become this sort of Swiss Army knife for the staff. He doesn't get the headlines, but his ability to bridge the gap from the starter to the setup man is why this team is hovering where they are in the standings. He threw a mix of sweepers and sinkers that kept the top of the order off balance. It wasn't flashy. It was just effective. One hit, no runs, two strikeouts. Job done.
The Bullpen Logic: Why Counsell Chose These Arms
Craig Counsell manages a bullpen like a chess grandmaster who’s had too much coffee. He’s twitchy with the moves, but there’s always a data-driven reason behind it. Today, he played the matchups perfectly.
Porter Hodge took the eighth. If you haven't been watching Hodge lately, you're missing out on some of the most electric stuff in the National League. The kid has a "dead-zone" fastball that just doesn't sink. It stays up. Hitters swing under it constantly. He faced the heart of the order today and sat them down in order. It’s becoming clear that Hodge is the future closer-in-waiting, or at least the guy you want in the game when the lead is slim and the pressure is high.
The Closer Situation
Then came the ninth. This is where the conversation about who pitched for the Cubs today usually gets the most heated on sports talk radio.
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The ball went to the veteran presence at the back end. It’s about trust. In a tight game, Counsell went with experience over raw potential. The command was a little shaky—a lead-off walk is never what you want to see—but the composure was there. He settled down, got a massive double-play ball, and slammed the door. It wasn’t a "clean" save in the traditional sense, but the "S" goes in the column regardless.
What This Means for the Rotation Moving Forward
One game is a snapshot. A season is a gallery.
The fact that the Cubs got six innings out of their starter today is huge. The league average for starts is dropping every year. If the Cubs can consistently get 18 outs from Steele, Imanaga, and Taillon, this bullpen isn't going to burn out by August. That’s been the Achilles heel for this franchise in recent years—a tired bullpen that starts leaking runs in the dog days of summer.
- Steele's Health: He looked fluid today. No signs of the hamstring issues that have cropped up in the past.
- Bullpen Usage: Nobody threw more than 20 pitches except for the starter. That means everyone is available for tomorrow.
- Matchup Success: The left-on-left matchups in the seventh inning worked exactly as the scouting report suggested.
If you’re wondering why a specific player didn't appear, it’s usually rest-related. The Cubs have been very cautious with "three-day" rules—rarely letting a reliever pitch three days in a row. This preserves the arm but sometimes leaves fans wondering why the "best" guy isn't out there in a crucial moment. It’s a long game.
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Key Takeaways from Today's Pitching Staff
The takeaway is simple: the Cubs' pitching infrastructure is finally catching up to the elite teams. They aren't just relying on luck or one "guy" to carry them. They have a system. Steele sets the tone, the middle relief stabilizes the lead, and the back end finishes the fight.
Today was a blueprint win. It won’t always be this smooth, and there will be days when the bullpen blows a three-run lead and everyone wants to fire the pitching coach. But today? Today was about execution.
If you are following the rotation, expect a slight shift in the coming days as the team manages a heavy schedule without an off-day. They might need a "bullpen game" or a spot start from the Triple-A Iowa shuffle, but for now, the main cast is performing.
Next Steps for Following the Cubs Pitching Staff:
Monitor the transaction wire for any relief shuffles, as the "Iowa-to-Chicago" shuttle is usually active after a high-pitch-count game. Keep an eye on the velocity readings for the veteran arms in the bullpen; any dip in the four-seam average over a three-game span usually precedes a stint on the 15-day IL. Lastly, check the weather reports for the upcoming series at Wrigley—the wind blowing out can change a pitcher's entire approach, forcing more ground-ball-heavy sequences than we saw today.