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Steele (elbow) has been throwing 30-pitch bullpen sessions and is targeting a return to the majors in May or June, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun Times reports.
Steele underwent UCL revision surgery on his left elbow in mid-April of last year, and the southpaw is currently building up strength before he's able to return later in 2026. He was Chicago's Opening Day starter two years ago and has a career 3.30 regular-season ERA, so there's plenty of upside in his arm. However, the Cubs will undoubtedly be cautious with his return, and there could be a good degree of rust as well. Fantasy managers should target the 30-year-old as an intriguing stash candidate in 2026, though expectations should be tempered due to the long layoff. It's also possible Steele returns to a bullpen role, at least initially, with Chicago adding Edward Cabrera in the offseason to bolster its rotation.
Steele (elbow) threw off a mound Jan. 16 for the first time since undergoing UCL revision surgery April 18, MLB.com reports.
Throwing off a mound represents an important milestone in the recovery process for Steele, who had been limited to playing catch off flat ground since resuming a throwing program in October. He'll likely continue to build up the intensity and frequency of his bullpen sessions over the next few weeks, but Steele probably won't be ready to face hitters until the latter half of spring training. The 30-year-old lefty will almost certainly open the season on the injured list, but if he steers clear of any setbacks while building up this spring, he could avoid placement on the 60-day IL and make his 2026 debut at some point in late April or May.
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Cubs' Justin Steele: Avoids arbitration with Cubs
Rotowire
The Cubs and Steele (elbow) avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $6.775 million contract Thursday, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports.
Steele gets a modest raise after he missed nearly all of the 2025 season following UCL revision surgery. The left-hander's rehab has come along well, but he is expected to be sidelined for at least the first month or so of the 2026 campaign.
Cubs' Justin Steele: Late start to season confirmed
Rotowire
Cubs manager Craig Counsell confirmed this week that Steele (elbow) will not be ready for the start of next season, Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic report.
Steele underwent UCL revision surgery on his left elbow in mid-April, so it's not a surprise that he'll be in line for a stint on the injured list to begin the 2026 season. Counsell noted that the team will have a better idea as to a timetable for the left-hander in spring training, with the skipper noting that "I think it will be the first half of the season." Steele has collected a 3.18 ERA over 82 regular-season starts since the beginning of the 2022 campaign.
Steele (elbow) began a throwing program Monday, the pitcher posted from his X account.
The left-hander was cleared to throw on flat ground for the first time since undergoing UCL revision surgery in April. A firm timetable for Steele's readiness to pitch in games isn't clear, but he's likely to get a late start to next season. The left-hander boasts a 3.18 ERA and 458:128 K:BB over 449.2 innings since the beginning of the 2022 campaign.
Cubs' Justin Steele: Shifts to 60-day injured list
Rotowire
The Cubs transferred Steele (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Wednesday, Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic reports.
Steele underwent UCL surgery last week and will be sidelined for the remainder of the 2025 season, so the move won't affect his timeline for a return. The transaction will instead open up a spot on the 40-man roster for lefty reliever Drew Pomeranz, whose contract was selected in a corresponding move.
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Cubs' Justin Steele: Undergoes UCL surgery Friday
Rotowire
Steele underwent UCL revision repair operation on his left elbow Friday, Andy Martinez of Marquee Sports Network reports.
Steele was placed on the 15-day injured list April 9 with what was initially diagnosed as left elbow tendinitis, but further tests revealed significant UCL damage that required season-ending surgery. He was able to avoid Tommy John surgery, but he will sit for the rest of 2025 and will likely miss the early portion of the 2026 regular season. With Steele sidelined, Ben Brown and Colin Rea will continue to serve in the Cubs' rotation, though one of them will be bumped when Javier Assad (oblique) returns from the IL.
