The Cubs misplaced ace southpaw Justin Steele for the yr final week when it was introduced he’d want season-ending elbow surgical procedure, however Steele didn’t really go underneath the knife till Friday. Previous to right now’s sport in opposition to the Diamondbacks, supervisor Craig Counsell up to date reporters (together with MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian) on Steele’s standing post-surgery and provided some optimistic information for followers in Chicago. Bastian notes that the Cubs described Steele’s process as a “revision restore” of the UCL in his left elbow. That’s a much less critical process than Tommy John surgical procedure, which solely replaces the UCL. Counsell recommended that the preliminary timeline for Steele’s return to motion is roughly one yr, which might counsel that he will be anticipated again on the mound pretty early into the 2026 season.
It’s nice information for the Cubs and Steele, notably as a result of Steele already had Tommy John surgical procedure early in his profession when he was nonetheless a prospect. Second Tommy John surgical procedures usually include a rehab on the longer facet of the surgical procedure’s typical 12-to-18 month restoration timeline, and infrequently require a good longer layoff. Had Steele required full Tommy John surgical procedure, it wouldn’t have been a shock to see Steele not take a giant league mound once more till the ultimate weeks of the 2026 season, as was the case for Jacob deGrom when he returned from his second Tommy John surgical procedure final September after practically 17 months spent rehabbing.
Luckily, that wasn’t the case, and the Cubs will be capable of plan for the 2026 marketing campaign with an affordable expectation that Steele shall be a giant a part of their rotation combine subsequent yr, as was the case for the Braves after Spencer Strider underwent an inside brace process early within the 2024 season that got here with the same one-year timetable. Framber Valdez, Zac Gallen, and Dylan Stop are amongst a handful of front-of-the-rotation arms who determine to be extremely wanted this winter, however an early 2026 goal for Steele may make the Cubs much less inclined to get entangled within the markets for these pitchers, particularly in the event that they resolve to commit their free agent {dollars} to a pursuit of a long-term take care of star outfielder Kyle Tucker.
Whereas the Cubs can count on Steele to pitch for the membership once more in 2026, the hit to their short-term rotation depth may nonetheless make them pursue pitching assist this summer season. The Cubs seem targeted on inside options in the meanwhile, and Colin Rea has held his personal impressively since subbing in for Steele after opening the yr within the bullpen, with efficient (though temporary) begins in opposition to the Dodgers and Diamondbacks throughout which he’s surrendered simply two runs with ten strikeouts in opposition to one stroll throughout 8 1/3 innings of labor. That sensational manufacturing can’t be anticipated to final perpetually, however with prime pitching prospect Cade Horton hanging out 37.5% of his opponents at Triple-A it’s a minimum of attainable the Cubs may enter July feeling good about their rotation for the stretch run.
Loads of arms must be accessible on the deadline in the event that they do find yourself needing reinforcements, with the Marlins’ Sandy Alcantara standing out as probably the most incessantly mentioned title. Apart from Alcantara, gamers like Tyler Anderson, Seth Lugo, Chris Bassitt, and Michael Lorenzen may all theoretically be accessible on the commerce market relying on the the place their respective golf equipment discover themselves within the standings this summer season. Apart from Alcantara, every of these gamers can turn out to be free brokers following the 2025 season. That might be preferable for the Cubs within the occasion they do pursue pitching assist on condition that Steele is anticipated to pitch many of the 2026 season and every of Shota Imanaga, Matthew Boyd, and Jameson Taillon are already underneath contract for subsequent yr, whereas the membership holds an possibility on Rea.
