All right, no more setbacks. The Chicago Cubs have been one of the unluckiest teams when it comes to pitching injuries in MLB this season, and that includes Justin Steele suffering a setback back in April. The left-handed starter had elbow surgery in April 2025 and was hopeful of returning by early June, but a flexor strain further delayed Steele’s 2026 return. For fans wanting an optimistic outlook, there is an update, and we may even pinpoint Steele’s exact return to the Cubs’ starting rotation if it’s smooth sailing from now on.
First, Steele was back in the dugout at Wrigley Field this past week, and he is traveling with the team to New York. Steele is expected to throw a baseball on Monday for the first time since he was shut down in late April. The lefty cannot afford to have any other setbacks if he wants to contribute to the 2026 Cubs, and there’s no doubt that his return could give the team a boost down the stretch.
So, what is the best-case scenario for Steele now that he’s progressed from the April setback? According to ESPN’s Jesse Rogers, getting back on the mound for the Cubs in August would be considered a victory for Steele.
Looking ahead to the Cubs’ schedule, their series finale against the Toronto Blue Jays was postponed on Sunday and rescheduled for Thursday, Aug. 6. That date was originally a day off for the Cubs, but with the make-up game, it means they’ll be playing 17 games in a row without an off day from July 24 to Aug. 9. That game against the Blue Jays at Wrigley Field could be the ideal time for Steele to return from the injured list if the August timeline remains firm.
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So far in 2026, the Cubs have only gotten two starts from Cade Horton, five from Matthew Boyd, obviously none from Steele, while Jameson Taillon and Edward Cabrera have missed time on the injured list as well.
At 40-37, the Cubs enter Monday’s series opener against the New York Mets ranked 17th with a 4.28 ERA from the starting rotation. The team’s combined 3.1 fWAR from the starting pitchers is 28th out of the 30 teams.
But again, it is still too early to count on Steele because Jed Hoyer remains careful with his words when speculating about the pitcher’s potential return this season.
Via the Chicago Tribune.
President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer described his outlook on Steele making an impact for the Cubs this season as “hopeful — optimism might be strong.”
“He’s had some setbacks, but the hope is that he can avoid setbacks and he can help us later in the season,” Hoyer said Tuesday. “And not only the hope for this season, but also going into the offseason, it’d be nice to see him out there and pitching healthy, just in terms of roster planning for next year.”
The All-Star break is three weeks away, so I bet the Cubs will have a much clearer idea by then of whether and when Steele will actually be able to contribute in 2026. You would hope that, at the very least, Steele’s presence on the field would give the Cubs a major morale boost.
