Sure, Jed Hoyer tempered expectations when discussing Justin Steele’s potential impact on the 2026 Chicago Cubs, but for just a moment, let’s get excited about the left-handed pitcher’s possible return.
Steele made his long-awaited comeback to game action last week with the Iowa Cubs at Triple-A. It was the left-hander’s first game in 17 months, since he suffered an elbow injury that required season-ending surgery in 2025. A setback this past April threatened to take Steele out for all of 2026 as well, but Steele has been able to stay on schedule this time around, and on Sunday he made his second rehab appearance in the minors.
It was another multi-inning effort by Steele, who ended up throwing 27 pitches over two innings of work for Iowa. He generated four whiffs, struck out one batter, and in terms of in-game aspects that may determine if Steele can actually make an impact late this season and into the postseason, his fastball velocity was a tick above 91mph.
Steele’s fastball velocity is right around, and actually slightly above, where it was at the beginning of the 2025 season, so that’s an encouraging note moving forward. He’s never been a guy who will overpower opponents with velocity, but it’s still a good measure of where his strength is at as Steele eyes a return on the Cubs.
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Seeing that the Cubs are using Steele for multiple innings early on in his rehab assignment is certainly a great sign for what could be if the organization determines that the lefty is ready to go to pitch in the majors this year. Health remains the top priority, but the Cubs obviously would love to have Steele back as a potential multi-inning reliever out of the bullpen.
The Triple-A season ends on Sept. 20, a week before the end of the Cubs’ regular season. If Steele remains on this pitching schedule, then he could have two or possibly three more appearances left with Iowa before a decision is made on his return. You would think the Cubs would want Steele to have at least one, or maybe a couple, of MLB outings before the regular season ends, rather than bringing him back for his first MLB action in the playoffs after an 18-month layoff.
So, we’ll see how Steele looks later this week, and hopefully he returns to the Cubs to end the 2026 season. It wouldn’t just be an emotional boost for the guys in the clubhouse, but if he can knock off the rust, Steele can be a real difference-maker in the playoffs, which the Cubs badly need, as the bullpen has been struggling as of late.
