The Cubs misplaced ace southpaw Justin Steele for the 12 months final week when it was introduced he’d want season-ending elbow surgical procedure, however Steele didn’t truly go below the knife till Friday. Previous to in the present day’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 supplied some constructive 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 severe process than Tommy John surgical procedure, which fully replaces the UCL. Counsell prompt that the preliminary timeline for Steele’s return to motion is roughly one 12 months, which might recommend that he might 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 sometimes include a rehab on the longer aspect of the surgical procedure’s typical 12-to-18 month restoration timeline, and sometimes 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 an enormous 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 almost 17 months spent rehabbing.
Happily, that wasn’t the case, and the Cubs will be capable to plan for the 2026 marketing campaign with an inexpensive expectation that Steele will probably be an enormous a part of their rotation combine subsequent 12 months, as was the case for the Braves after Spencer Strider underwent an inner brace process early within the 2024 season that got here with an analogous 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 cause them to pursue pitching assist this summer season. The Cubs seem centered on inner options in the meanwhile, and Colin Rea has held his personal impressively since subbing in for Steele after opening the 12 months within the bullpen, with efficient (though transient) 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 eternally, however with high pitching prospect Cade Horton placing out 37.5% of his opponents at Triple-A it’s at the very least potential 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 regularly mentioned identify. 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 develop into 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 a lot of the 2026 season and every of Shota Imanaga, Matthew Boyd, and Jameson Taillon are already below contract for subsequent 12 months, whereas the membership holds an possibility on Rea.
