Steele, Miller continue Triple-A rehab as Cubs' bullpen struggles persist
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Cubs pitchers Justin Steele and Shelby Miller continued their Minor League rehab assignments with Triple-A Iowa on Thursday as they work their way back to the Major League club after being sidelined with elbow injuries. Each appeared in Iowa’s 9-1 loss to to Toledo at Principal Park.
Steele underwent left elbow surgery in April 2025. He entered in the fifth inning on Thursday and threw two innings, yielding two runs on four hits. He walked none and struck out three on 31 pitches (21 strikes).
The 31-year-old left-hander gave up a triple and a pair of singles in the fifth that resulted in both runs the Mud Hens scored against him. He then tossed a scoreless sixth. In three rehab appearances with Iowa, Steele has given up six runs (four earned) over 5 2/3 innings (6.35 ERA) with six strikeouts and no walks.
Miller, whom the Cubs signed to a two-year deal this past offseason, underwent surgery to repair the UCL and flexor tendon in his right elbow last October. The club signed the veteran right-hander knowing it was unlikely that he would pitch in the Majors in 2026.
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Thursday’s appearance was Miller’s 11th with Iowa. He threw a scoreless seventh inning in which he gave up one hit and struck out one on 11 pitches (eight strikes). Overall, the 35-year-old has given up nine runs over 8 2/3 innings (9.35 ERA) across those 11 outings. He also made one appearance with Double-A Knoxville, in which he threw a scoreless frame.
The Cubs’ bullpen has been struggling of late. Following a heartbreaking 10-inning loss to the division-rival Brewers in Milwaukee on Tuesday, in which reliever Jacob Webb blew a save opportunity when he surrendered a game-tying two-run homer to Jackson Chourio with two outs in the ninth, Chicago’s relief corps had posted a 5.40 ERA since Aug. 22.
Following Tuesday’s game, Cubs manager Craig Counsell was asked whether the solution to his club’s bullpen issues was with rehabbing arms at Triple-A -- namely Steele, Miller and right-hander Edward Cabrera, who is transitioning from a starting role to a relief role. Counsell said “the answers are not there.”
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“These are our guys,” Counsell said of the current bullpen group. “They’re going to get the outs. You go through tough stretches in the season. It hurts when it happens right now. It hurts when it happens right at the end of the game with two outs. It hurts a little bit worse. And it tests you.”
With one of the game’s most prolific lineups, led by National League MVP candidate Pete Crow-Armstrong, the Cubs -- currently one game behind the Phillies for the top NL Wild Card position -- are hoping their ’pen can turn things around in the final days of the regular season as the North Siders gear up for the playoffs.