MESA, Ariz. — Cubs left-hander Justin Steele was thrown into the fire against a fierce lineup in his first spring-training game. The heart of the Padres’ batting order Friday had Manny Machado, Nelson Cruz and Matt Carpenter one after another. At the top were Jake Cronenworth and Trent Grisham, who were plenty familiar with Steele from the minors.
“I felt good,” Steele said after doing his part in the Cubs’ combined no-hitter in a 4-0 victory. “If I do that all year, I think we’ll be in a pretty good spot.”
