SEATTLE — It’s a mighty good thing this whole baseball deal worked out for Cubs left-hander Justin Steele.
‘‘I never had a Plan B,’’ he said.
Not when he entered the draft out of high school in 2014 and was taken in the fifth round by the Cubs. Not when he needed Tommy John surgery in 2017. Not when he went 0-6 with a 5.59 ERA in 11 starts at Double-A Tennessee in 2019. Not when there were no minor-league games to play in 2020. Not even when the Cubs took a shot at turning him into a reliever.
Now look at him — a first-time All-Star with one scoreless inning under his belt in a 3-2 victory for the National League, which snapped a nine-game losing streak. Steele was pitcher No. 5 for the NL, following Zac Gallen, Mitch Keller, Josiah Gray and Alex Cobb, and got the job done just like he was back at Wrigley Field.
‘‘The first time in a long time I came out of the bullpen,’’ he said. ‘‘To have that adrenaline and those goosebumps running out to the mound, it was kind of cool. I’ll never forget it. . . .
‘‘I’m just extremely grateful. It’s been a long time.’’
Steele deserved this, coming in with a 9-2 record and a sparkling 2.56 ERA that ranks second in the National League — by the slightest tick — to Clayton Kershaw’s 2.55. Life is good when you get to rub elbows with a surefire Hall of Famer such as the Dodgers’ Kershaw, the player Steele was most excited to meet. Life is good when you’re in an All-Star Game on your birthday, this one being Steele’s 28th and also, not to be forgotten, son Beau’s first.
Life is good, period.
‘‘I’ve done a lot of reflecting,’’ Steele said. ‘‘It wasn’t a linear, straight line to get to the big leagues. I spent seven years in the minors, had injuries, had ups and downs. For me, coming out of high school and stuff — a young kid — it means a lot to me that I stuck with it, stayed the path, never gave up, always believed in myself and finally made it here and get to reap the rewards and live the dream.’’
By his lonesome here with All-Star teammates Marcus Stroman and Dansby Swanson not along for the trip, Steele got to tell some of his story to reporters from across baseball, not many of whom know much about him. But everyone loves to learn about Steele’s connection to long-ago Cubs All-Star Claude Passeau: They’re from the same dot on the Mississippi map, Lucedale, and Steele played in high school on Claude Passeau Sr. Field.
It’s a charming little coincidence, but enough about that.
What’s with the three-All-Star Cubs not being a winning team?
‘‘I would say it’s just a little unlucky, unfortunate,’’ Steele said. ‘‘I mean, our run differential [plus-26] isn’t too bad. We’re in ballgames. If you ask anybody in the clubhouse, we say we like the guys in here and we feel like we can win with the group of guys we have right now. It’s just a matter of time, catching fire, getting on a roll and getting going.
‘‘It seems like we’ve done it here and there, but then something will happen. But everybody in there is rooting for one another. We love playing with one another, feel like we have a great team and feel like we’re just one big play or game away from clicking.’’
Clearly, however, this Cubs team is racing the clock, needing to shed its sub-.500 (42-47) record in a hurry and make a move on the Brewers (49-42) and Reds (50-41) before president Jed Hoyer pulls the plug and starts making trade calls — of the selling variety — ahead of the deadline Aug. 1.
Stroman is one of the biggest names who could go. He and Steele have had a good thing going on and off the field.
‘‘He’s a great guy to have in the clubhouse,’’ Steele said.
Stroman could be gone, and that goes likewise for Kyle Hendricks, Cody Bellinger, Yan Gomes and others. Cubs fans know all too well what a sell-off looks like.
‘‘I think any team or any teammate would be disappointed to see fellow teammates get traded and stuff in any situation,’’ Steele said.
Get hot in July or say goodbye.
‘‘The frustrating part is not being able to see the results, even though we’re playing decent,’’ he said. ‘‘But if you ask anybody in the clubhouse, we’re fully capable of winning ballgames and going on a run and making things look a lot different.’’
