Cubs southpaw Justin Steele is slated to bear season-ending surgical procedure on his left elbow, supervisor Craig Counsell instructed reporters (together with Patrick Mooney of The Athletic) this afternoon. Steele was positioned on the injured record with elbow tendinitis shortly after his most up-to-date begin towards the Rangers and was despatched to obtain a second opinion on the difficulty after present process an preliminary MRI on Thursday. Whether or not or not Steele would require a full Tommy John surgical procedure or as an alternative bear an inner brace process shouldn’t be but clear. He received’t pitch once more in 2025 in both case, however inner brace procedures sometimes include a shorter restoration timeline of round twelve months, versus the timeline for Tommy John, which may stretch as much as 18 months and would seemingly impression a lot of his 2026 marketing campaign as properly.
It’s a intestine punch for the Cubs and their followers, notably given preliminary indications that Steele’s damage wasn’t particularly important. The southpaw instructed reporters after his placement on the IL final week that he was anticipating a minimal stint on the shelf, and the damage didn’t initially seem dissimilar from the comparatively minor elbow problem that induced him to spend two weeks on the shelf final September. When the membership opted to hunt a second opinion on Steele’s elbow, they prompt that recurring nature of the tendinitis was the impetus behind their choice to hunt a second opinion in hopes of placing a cease to the issue in a extra everlasting vogue. Evidently, that can require the southpaw to go beneath the knife.
For not less than the remainder of 2025, that can depart Chicago with out maybe their most gifted pitcher general. Steele has drawn criticism over time for his repertoire, which is mostly restricted to only a fastball and a slider apart from a handful of rarely-used tertiary choices. Beginning pitchers can not often survive within the majors with out not less than three common pitches they’ll lean on, however Steele has managed to buck that development. The distinctive properties of his fastball have allowed him to not solely survive as a starter, however thrive. From the time he earned a job as a full-time starter in 2022 by the tip of the 2024 season, Steele’s 3.10 ERA was sandwiched between Justin Verlander and Sandy Alcantara for the ninth-best determine in baseball. His 3.14 FIP additionally positioned him inside the high ten, and his 3.46 SIERA was good for nineteenth and positioned him forward of well-regarded aces similar to Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, and Zac Gallen.
The southpaw wasn’t fairly pitching as much as that elite stage in his first begins of the season. He was lit as much as an unpleasant 6.89 ERA with a 19.4% strikeout price in his first three begins of the yr and, at the same time as he largely appeared like his normal self in his newest begin when he struck out eight Rangers throughout seven scoreless innings, his velocity has been down all yr and averaged simply barely 90 mph in that begin towards Texas. For a pitcher who often sits round 92 mph, that’s a notable and regarding drop in velocity, nevertheless it’s nonetheless certainly irritating for the southpaw to be shut down simply when he was starting to show a nook this yr.
With Steele now out for not less than the rest of the yr, the Cubs might want to hope for sturdy well being from the rest of their beginning pitching choices. Fellow southpaw Shota Imanaga can be leaned on closely to step in because the group’s ace after a dominant rookie season within the majors the place the 31-year-old managed a fifth-place end in NL Cy Younger voting and acquired an All-Star nod. Trying past Imanaga, followers in Chicago are left to hope that veteran Matthew Boyd’s good efficiency (1.59 ERA, 3.34 FIP) throughout his first three begins in a Cubs uniform are a sign that he’ll be capable to stay wholesome and efficient this yr after 4 consecutive seasons of damage woes. Righty Jameson Taillon wanting something like he did final season, when he posted a 3.27 ERA and three.92 FIP in 28 begins, would additionally go a protracted approach to serving to make up for the lack of Steele.
Outdoors of that veteran trio, the Cubs have little certainty within the rotation. Teen Ben Brown appeared good towards the Dodgers in his begin towards the membership yesterday, however carries a 5.09 ERA on the yr regardless of a 3.89 FIP. Veteran swingman Colin Rea has appeared good in three scoreless appearances as a protracted reduction arm this yr and is filling in for Steele as a spot starter immediately, although whether or not that’s Chicago’s long-term plan or simply what they’ve selected for immediately’s recreation stays to be seen. Proper-hander Javier Assad is presently on the injured record as a result of an indirect problem however might begin a minor league rehab project sooner or later this month.
Apart from these large league choices, the membership has some pitching depth within the minors as properly. Southpaw Jordan Wicks was scratched from his begin with Triple-A Iowa final week, although it’s unclear if that was to protect him as a doable possibility to begin immediately’s recreation or as a result of an damage of his personal. Brandon Birdsell was on the radar for a doable large league debut sooner or later this yr, although a shoulder problem has saved him out of motion since February with no timetable for return. Prime pitching prospect Cade Horton has a 1.23 ERA and 38.7% strikeout price in his first two begins with Iowa this yr, however has not but totally constructed as much as 5 inning begins after lacking most of final yr together with his personal damage points. Veteran righty Chris Flexen signed a minor league cope with Chicago over the offseason and stays at Triple-A with the group as a possible innings-eater, if mandatory.
That’s sufficient depth that the Cubs ought to be capable to get by within the rotation in the interim with out a lot problem, so long as they keep away from one other main damage. Even so, the eyes of followers in Chicago are certainly already turning to the commerce deadline this summer time. It’s unlikely the Cubs would soar the market and swing a significant commerce for a beginning pitcher this removed from July 31, but when the membership stays in a robust place to contend this summer time it could hardly be a shock to see them concerned within the commerce market. Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara is extensively anticipated to be the highest arm accessible, however Tyler Anderson, Chris Bassitt, and Michael Lorenzen are amongst quite a few lesser arms on expiring contracts who might theoretically be accessible this summer time relying on the place their respective golf equipment discover themselves within the standings come July.
