4:40pm: Manager Craig Counsell tells 104.3 The Score that Steele has a flexor strain and will be re-evaluated in a month. The skipper tells Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network that Steele is no longer expected back before the All-Star Break.
3:55pm: Cubs left-hander Justin Steele has hit a setback in his recovery from last year’s elbow surgery, reports Jesse Rogers of ESPN. The specifics of the setback aren’t clear but Rogers suggests that Steele’s return timeline is likely to be pushed into the future.
Steele underwent surgery on his ulnar collateral ligament in April of 2025. The Cubs called it a “revision repair”, something less than a full Tommy John surgery, and suggested Steele could be back in about a year’s time. He was throwing off a mound by the end of January 2026, creating some hope that he could return fairly early in 2026.
The Cubs put Steele on the 60-day injured list just as the season was beginning, meaning he couldn’t officially return prior to late May. Even that timeline may no longer be on the table, as Rogers says the plan of returning by Memorial Day may now be in jeopardy.
Further details will likely be forthcoming from the club prior to tonight’s game. Whenever Steele is finally healthy, it will still be a while before he can rejoin the club. He’ll need to build up through the standard steps of throwing bullpens, then live batting practice, then a rehab assignment, with that overall process to take at least a few weeks.
It’s the latest bit of rough injury news for the Cubs. They have had a number of pitchers hit the injured list this year. In terms of quantity, most of the guys on the IL have been relievers. But the most notable blow has been that starter Cade Horton required Tommy John surgery and will miss the remainder of the season.
As of a few weeks ago, it was possible to imagine the Chicago rotation having Steele, Horton and Edward Cabrera in the top three spots. Now Horton is ruled out completely and Steele is up in the air. Cabrera has a 2.73 earned run average but with some worrying signs under the hood. His four-seam velocity is down more than a tick, having gone from last year’s 97 miles per hour to this year’s 95.7. His strikeout rate has also fallen, sitting at 18.5% this year, a huge drop from the 25.8% rate he had in 2025.
The current rotation is therefore lacking in upside compared to the theoretical one they could have had. Matthew Boyd, Jameson Taillon, Shota Imanaga and Colin Rea are talented pitchers but the whole group would be better if Steele and Horton were in it and if Cabrera was shoving more concretely.
Despite all the injuries, the Cubs have a strong 17-12 record. Assuming they stay in contention for the next few months, they were likely going to be looking for rotation upgrades to replace Horton. If Steele’s setback proves significant, then that should only increase their urgency there. If another injury pops up in the meantime, Javier Assad is probably the next man up, as he is currently pitching in long relief out of the bullpen.
Photo courtesy of Matt Marton, Imagn Images
Because of course
Jeez, if it wasn’t for bad luck, Hoyer wouldn’t have any luck at all.
“Timeline is likely to be pushed into the future”. Thank you for that clarification Jesse Rogers. I was hoping it was one of those setbacks that moves the timeline to an earlier return date!
Nothing better than a reporter who offers solid facts. Next thing we learn is how many people clicked to find out nothing. News and trends are FUN
Things are getting murkier and murkier. Steele setback, Wicks got hit hard last night after 2 decent outings, Maton came back from his vacation still bad, Wonder what rabbits Ole Jed is gonna pull out of his hat this year. One thing is for certain, Ole Tommy can kiss the Luxury Tax goodbye this year if they want to win. The 9 deep Starters they had are seemingly down to 6 now.
Wicks got hit thjs morning too
Perhaps pitching b2b is why he got shelled
Sorry, I meant this morning. You’re correct.
Wicks gets pounded at all times of day. If he is starting, we aren’t serious about winning.
Some of us, because we aren’t Brett Taylor or any of his merry band of toadies, and because we have IQ’s with a fighting chance of reaching three digits, never believed for a second that Steele would be back in late May. And some of us, because we also aren’t believers in the hapless Jordan Wicks or any of the Cubs’ never-gonna-get-here minor leaguers, thought they should have gotten Zac Gallen when they could’ve–or Giolito or anyone else who could be part of a starting rotation. I marveled a couple of months ago at how many here purred self-deludingly about the Cubs’ supposed starter depth. Jed never learns–but neither do most of you.
Assad sucks too, but a lot of them would rather see him pitch than someone talented like Ben Brown.
You mean the Zac Gallen who didn’t look too hot today Alan? The Zac Gallen who the Cubs lit up today and won? That Zac Gallen? 🙂
8==👊==D💦
Jed doesn’t pull rabbits out of his hat. He goes dumpster diving.
Please Tom do and investigation on your teams training staff. 2 TJS for one team should not be happening within weeks of each other. You really can’t make this up. Is this why Doc need Marty to burn the Grey’s Sports Almanac? 1950-2050 was the timeline right?
Seems like every day at least one team is having a problem with the pitcher and his arm. I read about it almost every single day. It’s not just the Cubs. It’s almost every single team. What I find hilarious is everybody just keeps doing things the same and these injuries just keep piling up. I call that nonstop stupidity all around.
I know it’s everyone and that sucks that they’re getting hurt. Unfortunately I am a very anxious Cubs fan right now. The Cubs have like 70% of their pitching staff on the IL and it just got worse
Totally understand. Yankees are my team but the Cubs have been my second team since the early 80’s. They really need this guy back but who knows when that will be.
I hate when announcers say that the Cubs will be prime candidates to pick up a starting pitcher at the trade deadline. That is the worst time to shop for a pitcher and you can almost guarantee that the cost will be prohibitive and the results far from guaranteed.
July 31 is the date where you’re most likely to trade for a pitcher who will be healthy August 1
August 3rd this year. On a Monday. 6PM ET
Once these guys get paid, they don’t care how long they’re on the IL.
If I had a cool name like Justin Steele I’d be flexing too. Ball player in summer, private detective in the offseason.
Haha. Or adult film star…. Justin Steele in Backdoor Sliders 4: In the Zone!
That was hilarious. Justin Steele in Breast Monsters from Jupiter
Ah man, what a bummer. You wonder if he’ll be back at all this year. I’m sure the prevailing hope is/was that he could get ramped back up by the time September rolls around for a potential playoff push and the more time he misses the less likely that happens.
Pretty good 2023 season Steele put together. Already had TJ when in minor leagues, the thing he had last year sounds like another minor TJ and now probably may need another TJ.
No rush.
Tough break. Hard to replicate the 2012 Reds where 161/162 games started were with 5 SPs.
2016 Cubs. Nobody cares about the reds in 2012 🤣
Yet will always be known as the loveable losers lol.
Cubbies peaked in 2016 then their talent nosedived lol. Try creating a sustainable dynasty w/ 2 rings, 4 pennants, 7 division titles and 7 straight LCS appearances. I’d cringe too if my team lost to the Rockies and Marlins in October lol.
And nobody cares about the Cubs in 2026.
Nice ..but you too bad the reds accomplished such a great feat ..to lose to the giants in the first round of the playoffs if im not mistaken
Jus Tin Foil 😭
And for all you winter keyboard warriors/comedians out there that rush to be first or pile on with the “this will put them over top” or “waste of money” or “Jed being Jed” or “that guy stinks” snide remarks when any team makes dozens of minor league signings in the offseason….the Cubs are living proof why all teams do it.
It is still April and the Cubs are 21 pitchers deep in usage already and they do not have a record like the Mets or the Phillies or the Blue Jays or the Mariners, Rockies, Red or White Sox.
I’d be willing to guess the organizational meetings didn’t quite anticipate this level of absurdity but at the very least the heads are above water.
Naturally, history and time will dictate whether you can survive or not, over the long haul, with pitchers off scrap heaps, but with a month down at least they are not buried already.
When you lose pitchers 1,3, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12 you don’t expect numbers 15-21 to carry the load, but here’s proof as to why you get those guys.
So the fact that the Cubs played 2 teams that had lost a combined 21 games in a row didn’t enter into it for you at all huh?
They lost 21 in a row because they played the Cubs, Uncle. Oh OK, so now games against the Phillies and Mets don’t count?
Need I remind you less than three weeks ago YOU directly told ME that I was on drugs if I thought the Cubs could ever catch the Brewers…on like April 10th. (when yout trade Seiya for Scott poll was a flop)
And then followed that glorious statement with the stunning move that instead of DFA Carlson they simply could have put Ballesteros in the minors.
Recall that???
All I know is that the Cubs were 7-9 and actually in last place with 3/4 of their pitching staff on the IL. Then played 2 teams that lost 21 games in a row. And you’re saying it’s because they played the Cubs? OK. Ballesteros was lost and I’m glad he figured it out because watching him play when he doesn’t hit is very painful. I wasn’t for sending him down forever just to figure it out in AAA for a spell. And I also said I didn’t really care about Carlson 1 way or another, He’s bad and still here unfortunately. So now they still have 3/4 of their pitching staff on the IL or is it 80% now? Can’t keep up with it all, And 2 guys in Webb and Maton who I wish were injured or DFA’d because when I see them I switch the channel. Will the luck hold? Hopefully the schedule falls where the Cubs play teams who are on losing streaks, But I’m not holding my breath. And other than the game he lost to the Cubs Scott is back in form, As far as I know. He’d still be the best P in the Hoyer Bullpen. My memory is just fine. LOL It’s the rest of my body that’s failing.
Would somebody inform me where the cubs rank in the league leaving runner on 3re with less than 2 outs and also leaving bags loaded?
Probably not as low as you think. Those are just random luck stats anyway.
And where does pca stand in strikeouts because when I see him he’s always the big k with the pitch mostly in the dirt?
Remember when all the Cubs fans were excited when the Cubs signed Craig Counsell away from the Brewers. They were all thinking that the Cubs would win their division each and every year. Remind me…. How did that turn out for the Cubs?
Maybe you should sign Lucas Giolito …