CHICAGO -- Justin Steele hopped on social media and shared a video of himself throwing off a mound at the Cubs’ Arizona complex earlier this week, adding the caption “Movin and a groovin” to the post. It was another positive sign for a pitcher who has a chance to impact the rotation similarly to a big midseason acquisition.
The Cubs will have Shota Imanaga back on a one-year deal after a contractual back-and-forth early in the offseason. The North Siders added hard-throwing righty Edward Cabrera via trade from the Marlins. Matthew Boyd, Cade Horton and Jameson Taillon are all back in the fold. Steele is on a path to joining them at some point in the first half.
“It’s a heck of a boost,” Cubs general manager Carter Hawkins said, “to have a guy that’s a top of the rotation-type talent that potentially could come in here and be that for us later in the year.”
While in Chicago for Cubs Convention earlier this month, Steele headed with a group of teammates and coaches to Elite Baseball Training -- a facility run by Cubs director of hitting Justin Stone -- and threw off a mound. The pitcher said it marked his first mound session since undergoing his season-ending left elbow surgery in April last year.
Steele has since moved his workouts back to Arizona ahead of Spring Training and has continued to get off the bump. The left-hander resumed playing catch in October and has been steadily making progress in his rehab and throwing program in the past few months.
“There hasn't really been any hiccups at all through this process,” Steele said. “It’s felt good the entire time. If anything, we’re ahead of schedule. I’ve kind of been pushing the envelope the entire time, wanting to get off the mound.”
While Steele added that “it’s full steam ahead,” that does not mean there are any firm dates circled for a potential comeback yet. Opening Day has already been ruled out publicly by manager Craig Counsell, who said during the Winter Meetings that the first half was possible for the lefty’s return, barring any setbacks.
An optimistic timeline might be some point in May, but Steele said that it is a little more complicated than that. He noted that Dr. Keith Meister, who performed the revision repair surgery on the pitcher’s ulnar collateral ligament, may have some workload recommendations for Steele in the 2026 season.
“It’s just one of those math equations you’re going to have to do,” Steele said, “because Dr. Meister is going to probably have some innings limit [in mind].”
And part of the math equation is having Steele ready and available for a postseason run in October. That is why the pitcher is less focused on being ready for the start of the season.
“That definitely eases your mind,” Steele said, “knowing that it’s not a race to get back for Opening Day or something -- for that reason. There’s going to be some kind of innings limit, so there’s definitely some comfortability knowing that I don't have to rush.”
When Steele does return, he will add another experienced arm to the mix.
The 30-year-old lefty had a breakout showing for the Cubs in ‘23, going 16-5 with a 3.06 ERA in 30 starts, making an All-Star team and finishing fifth in National League Cy Young Award voting. He had 176 strikeouts and 36 walks in 173 1/3 innings that year. Steele was then the Opening Day starter in ‘24 and posted a near-identical ERA (3.07) over 24 starts and 134 2/3 innings.
Last year, Steele took the ball in the second game of the season, allowing Imanaga to start on Opening Day in the Tokyo Series in Japan. Steele then lasted four outings before the elbow injury flared. He spun seven shutout innings in near-freezing temperatures against Texas on April 7, soreness worsened in the following days and surgery soon followed.
“Starting pitcher injuries, it can be very significant,” Counsell said at the Winter Meetings. “There’s very few position player injuries that keep you out for the season. It happens more on the starting pitcher side. But getting a player back of [Steele’s] caliber is important, absolutely, it is important.”