Justin Steele Nears Return to Cubs After Recovery

Justin Steele, a left-handed pitcher for the Chicago Cubs, has been eagerly anticipating his team’s series in Arizona. Following an elbow surgery in April 2025, Steele faced setbacks, delaying his return. This week, Steele is with the Cubs during their three-game series against the Diamondbacks. He is nearing a return to the major leagues after a significant recovery process. Last week, Steele successfully completed his first live batting practice. Since then, he has consistently played catch without issues.

Steele plans to throw live batting practice at the Cubs’ complex in Mesa on both Tuesday and Friday. After these sessions, he hopes to begin a rehab assignment. “It’s been a long road and feels really good to get towards the end of that tunnel,” Steele noted. He expressed a desire to rejoin the team and contribute. Steele is optimistic about pitching for the Cubs this season. Given the constraints, he plans to return as a reliever, saying, “I wasn’t going to have enough time to get stretched out to be a starter in an impactful way.”

In earlier gameplay, Steele pitched against the Los Angeles Dodgers at the Tokyo Dome in March 2025. Although he will not exceed 2-3 innings initially, Steele requires an extended rehab period. Cubs manager Craig Counsell emphasized that Steele’s return has several stages. “I think we need to get him pitching in (rehab) games first,” Counsell said. Steele has not thrown in an affiliated game in two years, so building stamina is crucial.

Steele’s return is not assured for late September or the postseason, though his presence would be beneficial. His rehabilitation progress will determine his capability to secure critical outs in major-league games. Steele admitted, “It’s me probably pushing the envelope a little too much, but everything’s been going good this go around.” He feels more robust now compared to earlier in his recovery, fully aware of possible adrenaline during his comeback.

The Cubs intend to methodically manage Steele’s return, focusing on his reliever role. Meanwhile, another pitcher, right-hander Ben Brown, is nearing his return. Brown, recovering from a neck stress reaction, will also throw live batting practice on Tuesday. He plans to return to Chicago with the team, assuming his ongoing recovery supports a rehab assignment.