Pitcher injuries have seen a serious uptick in the last few seasons. Justin Steele and the Chicago Cubs are the latest to feel the wrath of season-ending surgery. Steele announced the decision on Saturday, with news becoming official Sunday. He will go under the knife this Friday to repair his flexor tendon and address the ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing arm.
Justin Steele Injury a Major Blow
Steele, a 2014 fifth-round pick by the Cubs, had some problems with elbow tendinitis late last season and made an appearance in his last start against the Texas Rangers. He had an MRI on his elbow on Thursday that concerned staff and warranted a second opinion, leading to the surgery decision.
The Cubs have started the 2025 season strong, winning games they weren’t projected to win. They are currently sitting atop the National League Central with an 11-7 record. The Milwaukee Brewers are two games behind at 8-8. The division, usually having the Brewers in 1st, has been up for grabs.
The Cubs saw that and capitalized on a big offseason. Most notably trading for slugger and defensive wizard Kyle Tucker, a three-time All-Star. They also snagged Ryan Pressley to bulk up the back of their bullpen.
What’s Next
With Steele out for the season, their pitching staff is hurting for consistency. Shota Imanaga had a beautiful first season in the big leagues last year and is hoping to continue that success. The rest of the rotation has major-league talent but nothing that can replace Steele. Even with rough numbers, posting a 4.76 ERA with 21 strikeouts and five walks in 22 ⅔ innings, it seems this problem may have impacted the start of his season.
Jameson Taillon, Matthew Boyd, and Ben Brown are good back-end options, but they don’t provide the every-game consistency the Cubs sorely need now. Colin Rea is expected to pick up the slack, but there are options down the line to look at Javier Assad, currently on the IL, and Jordan Wicks, sitting in AAA in Iowa.
