LOS ANGELES — The worst-case scenario has come to fruition for Chicago Cubs left-hander Justin Steele.
Steele will undergo season-ending surgery Friday to repair the flexor tendon and address the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL), manager Craig Counsell announced Sunday. The extent of the damage to Steele’s UCL won’t be known until the doctor gets eyes on it during the procedure. The Cubs will have a better timetable for Steele’s recovery after the surgery.
“You don’t replace people like Justin Steele,” Counsell said Sunday. “It’s kind of the next guy has to step up, but it’s very difficult to replace that level of play. So, you hope you have some options to do so and we think we do, and those guys are going to get the next shot.”
Steele, who turns 30 in July, had Tommy John surgery in 2017. He initially experienced left elbow tendinitis in July 2024 and again in September, which landed him on the injured list, but he was able to return to make two starts before the end of last season.
Counsell described the injury as a deteriorating situation, rather than something happening on a singular pitch, to the point where it was going to keep happening. Counsell spoke to Steele again Sunday morning, commending his great attitude with the tough situation.
“He has an injured elbow, and he has to fix it, as simple as that,” Counsell said. “On a day like this, you feel for Justin, and the life of a major-league pitcher with these injuries that make you miss most of seasons.”
Right-hander Colin Rea will in Steele’s spot for Sunday’s series final at Dodger Stadium, and Counsell expects him to stay in that spot for now. Right-hander Javier Assad is nearing a return, too, with rehab starts at Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday and Sunday. And with four off days in the next two weeks, there’s flexibility in how the Cubs can use their starters.
But no matter how the Cubs frame the situation, losing Steele is a huge blow to their efforts to win the division and return to the postseason. It puts a damper on an otherwise great start for the Cubs amid a challenging April schedule.
Few starting pitchers have been as consistent as Steele since starting full-time, dating to the beginning of the 2022 season. In those three-plus seasons, Steele’s 3.18 ERA is tied for 11th best among major-league starters, and he is tied for 17th in fWAR.
