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    Justin Steele (elbow) to make another rehab start

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    CHC Starting Pitcher #35
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    Justin Steele (elbow) will make another minor league rehab start for Triple-A Iowa on Sunday.

    Steele looked sharp from a velocity standpoint during his 36-pitch rehab debut earlier this week. The 31-year-old southpaw is likely ticketed for a multi-inning relief role, if he makes it back to Chicago before the postseason. He’s unlikely to make any sort of fantasy impact, but it’s worth noting that he should have a relatively normal offseason and return to the Cubs’ rotation next spring.
Should Brewers have turned to Miz in Game 4?
Dan Patrick evaluates the Brewers' bullpen's "rare" misstep in Game 4 of the World Series, exploring if Pat Murphy should have considered bringing in Jacob Misiorowski.

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    It’s unclear how the Red Sox are going to handle the situation since they’re ostensibly locked into the second Wild Card spot heading into the playoffs next week. Patrick Sandoval was scheduled to start Sunday’s season finale and will presumably get the ball on Saturday instead, weather permitting. Jake Bennett, Payton Tolle and Brayan Bello are also in the mix to pitch as well. It’ll be Matthew Boyd and David Peterson most getting the ball for the Cubs during the twin bill with Justin Steele (elbow) in the mix to return from the injured list this weekend. There are a ton of variables that fantasy managers need to monitor with Boston facing inclement weather from roughly Friday evening through Sunday afternoon.
  • CHC Starting Pitcher #35
    Cubs manager Craig Counsell told reporters Steele will have at least one additional rehab outing for Triple-A Iowa next week before the club makes a decision on his status. The 31-year-old figures to pitch in relief for the Cubs since he won’t be built up enough from a workload standpoint to operate as a traditional starter.
  • CHC Starting Pitcher #35
    It seems both the Cubs and Steele came to the conclusion that he won’t get built up enough to help as a starter in the postseason, so he is attempting to come back as a relief weapon. His four-seamer was sitting at 89.3 mph, so that’s not ideal. We’ll see if he can make it back before the end of the season.
  • CHC Starting Pitcher #35
    Chicago has left the door open for Steele to return, most likely as a reliever, at some point before the regular season concludes. The 31-year-old southpaw averaged his usual 90.3 mph on his four-seam fastball during the 36-pitch outing. He’s coming off elbow surgery and hasn’t pitched in the majors since the 2025 season. He’ll need a couple additional rehab outings before he’s a realistic option for the Cubs.
  • CHC Starting Pitcher #35
    Steele is attempting to make it back to Chicago as a reliever for the postseason after suffering a flexor strain a couple months ago that delayed his return from last year’s elbow surgery. The 31-year-old lefty can be ignored in fantasy leagues, but his return should provide a lift for the Cubs in the postseason. He’s going to need at least a week or two of rehab appearances before he’s an option for Chicago’s bullpen.
  • CHC Starting Pitcher #35
    Steele underwent elbow surgery in April of 2025 and then dealt with a flexor strain earlier this season, which is why he still has not pitched this season. The left-hander has begun facing hitters this week, which means it’s highly unlikely that he will return as a starter. Cubs manager Craig Counsell even said, “We’re not going to skip steps. He rightfully should be (focused on returning this season), but we have a lot of steps to go before we get there.” There likely won’t be much fantasy value with Steele this season, but his pitching in relief would be beneficial for the Cubs and be nice for fantasy managers to see before 2027 drafts.
  • CHC Starting Pitcher #35
    Steele is expected to pitch in relief once he makes it back to Chicago at some point in the final month of the season. The 31-year-old former top-of-the-rotation southpaw suffered a flexor strain earlier this season while working his way back from last year’s Tommy John surgery. He’ll need to get through at least one additional live batting practice session before heading out on a rehab assignment.
  • CHC Starting Pitcher #35
    Cubs manager Craig Counsell reaffirmed that Steele will return as a reliever given the lack of time remaining on the calendar to sufficiently ramp up as a traditional starter. The 30-year-old was given clearance to progress to throwing off a bullpen mound in early August as he continues working his way back from a flexor strain that he suffered in April while rehabbing from last year’s Tommy John surgery. He has a chance to make it back to Chicago as a reliever in time for their September playoff push.
  • CHC Starting Pitcher #35
    Levine mentions that Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said Steele could “help in the pen at some late summer point.” Steele is working back from elbow surgery and a setback he suffered earlier in May, so the team is clearly being cautious with him. While he may pitch innings for the Cubs later this summer, it no longer seems like he needs to be stashed in redraft fantasy leagues.
  • CHC Starting Pitcher #35
    It was Steele’s first throwing session since suffering a setback when he was diagnosed with a flexor strain in late April that delayed his throwing progression. The 30-year-old lefty is roughly 14 months removed from Tommy John surgery and figures to make it back to Chicago’s rotation mix at some point in the second half. There should be a clearer return timetable once he progresses to facing hitters and is close to embarking on a minor league rehab assignment. It seems unlikely he’ll make it back before August.

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    Cooper Pratt had two hits and two RBI as the Brewers bested the Rays 4-1 on Wednesday to claim Game 5 and win the World Series.

    William Contreras and David Hamilton also knocked in runs, and Milwaukee’s pitching staff saved its best performance for the very end, with Jacob Misiorowski going 5 2/3 scoreless before leaving with a leg cramp and JoJo Romero, Abner Uribe and Trevor Megill finishing the four-hitter. It’s the Brewers’ first World Series title since the franchise entered the league in 1969. They went 11-2 in October following a regular season in which they led the majors and set a franchise record with 103 victories.
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    Pitching on three days’ rest, Drew Rasmussen was lifted after allowing one run in four innings in Game 5 of the World Series.

    It sounded like the Rays had Rasmussen on a limit of about 60 pitches going into the game, but they didn’t bring him back out for the fifth after just 48 pitches. Rasmussen allowed only two hits, walked none and struck out four, and his fastball velocity, which was up one mph from his season average, held steady throughout. After he was pulled, the Brewers scored once in the fifth and twice in the sixth. Rasmussen was charged with the loss, his first in a postseason in which he made five starts with a 2.20 ERA.
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    Jacob Misiorowski left Wednesday’s Game 5 in the sixth inning with an apparent leg injury.

    It really just seemed to be a cramp, but Misiorowski was still feeling it as he tried as a warmup pitch and the decision was made to lift him. Misorowski threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings before departing a 4-0 lead against the Rays. Even if not for the issue, it seems quite unlikely that he would have come back out for the seventh. JoJo Romero replaced him in the contest.
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    The Brewers are using the same lineup as Game 4 versus Drew Rasmussen and the Rays in Wednesday’s Game 5.

    The Brewers have made just one change in the series, swapping Sal Frelick and Garrett Mitchell in Game 4. They’re sticking with that arrangement tonight. The lineup: LF Jackson Chourio, 1B Jake Bauers, DH Christian Yelich, C William Contreras, 2B Brice Turang, RF Frelick, SS Cooper Pratt, CF Mitchell and 3B David Hamilton.
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    The Rays have Ben Williamson and Ryan Vilade in the lineup for Wednesday’s Game 5 against Jacob Misiorowoski and the Brewers.

    Misiorowski was considerably more lethal against lefties than righties this season, and the Rays don’t think it’s a fluke. As a result, Richie Palacios and Victor Mesa Jr. are sitting tonight, as is the long-forgotten Cedric Mullins. The lineup: DH Yandy Díaz, 1B Jonathan Aranda, 3B Junior Caminero, C Liam Hicks, CF Jonny DeLuca, LF Chandler Simpson, 2B Williamson, RF Vilade and SS Taylor Walls.
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    Junior Caminero is starting at third base in Game 5 of the World Series.

    Caminero seemed to be struggling with a foot issue before being lifted for a pinch-runner in the 12th inning Tuesday, but manager Kevin Cash said afterwards that it was nothing that would affect his availability. Caminero is batting third tonight.
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    Drew Rasmussen will start Game 5 of the World Series against the Brewers

    The Rays have their backs up against the wall, so they will now turn to their ace, Drew Rasmussen, to start Game 5. Rasmussen just threw 3 2/3 innings on Saturday night, so he will come into this one on just three days’ rest. With that in mind, it’s unlikely that Rasmussen pitches deep into this game, but the Rays will help that he can keep the Brewers off the board in the first few innings and give them the chance to build a lead they can hand over to the bullpen.
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    Blue Jays C prospect Aaron Parker went 2-for-3 with two walks and a stolen base in Arizona Fall League action on Tuesday.

    Parker is now up to five steals in the AFL season while hitting .423 with a 1.097 OPS in 26 at-bats. The 5'7" Parker hit .253/.347/.467 in 87 games at Double-A this season with 19 home runs and 12 steals. He is also working in the outfield during the AFL season to try and increase his chances of helping the big league club. He should begin 2027 at Triple-A and has a chance to push for MLB at-bats if he continues to flash that kind of power and speed.
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    Nationals RHP prospect Jarlin Susana allowed one run on one hit in five innings in Arizona Fall League action on Tuesday.

    The big right-hander struck out five and walked two while throwing 38 of his 63 pitches for strikes. After undergoing lat surgery in 2025, Susana didn’t pitch in the minor leagues this season until August, so this was his longest outing since early in 2025. While he showed off his trademark triple-digit four-seamer, he also heavily mixed in a sinker that runs in on the hands of right-handers and an upper-80s power curve. The Nationals also have him working on a tighter cutter that he’s been throwing in the upper 90s in Arizona. Given his long layoff, health is the biggest positive for Susana, but if the 22-year-old is able to find a pitch mix that will give him good enough command to pair with his elite fastballs, he could be an impact arm for the Nationals in 2027.
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    Diamondbacks C Aramis Garcia elects free agency

    Garcia played just 38 games at Triple-A for the Diamondbacks this season, hitting .233/.340/.451 with six home runs and 21 RBI. He’ll look to latch on somewhere as spring training catching depth.