CHICAGO -- Justin Steele posted a photo of himself in a hospital bed on Friday, offering a smile and a thumbs up after undergoing season-ending surgery on his left elbow. The Cubs’ pitcher also posted a note of gratitude for everyone who sent him messages of encouragement.
“Truly means the world to me,” Steele wrote on his X.com account. “It’s appreciated beyond belief. I’ll be back soon and better than ever.”
Prior to Saturday’s game against the D-backs, Cubs manager Craig Counsell said the initial timetable for return for Steele is about one year. Dr. Keith Meister performed the surgery, which the Cubs described as a “revision repair” of the left ulnar collateral ligament (different from Tommy John ligament replacement).
Steele opted for surgery after a second opinion of an MRI exam on his left elbow, which flared up during his April 7 start against the Rangers. The latest setback comes after Steele dealt with elbow and forearm issues in both the ‘23 and ‘24 seasons, and also required Tommy John surgery as a Minor Leaguer in ‘17.
Counsell noted that Steele would head to Arizona soon to continue his recovery and prepare for his upcoming rehab program.
“Surgery went well,” Counsell said. “Obviously, he’s got a long rehab ahead of him. He’ll get started soon, and he’ll put all the work in, and we’ll see where that gets us.”
Losing Steele was a tough blow for the Cubs’ rotation.
Steele broke out in ‘23 as an All-Star and National League Cy Young Award contender, going 16-5 with a 3.06 ERA in 30 starts. He was limited to 24 outings last season, but posted similar rate statistics as the previous campaign. Chicago’s Opening Day starter in ‘24, Steele developed into a source of consistency and leadership for the starting staff.
In four turns this season, the 29-year-old Steele logged a 4.76 ERA with 21 strikeouts and five walks in 22 2/3 innings. The lefty spun seven shutout innings in his last start against Texas, doing so in frigid conditions at Wrigley Field, where the first-pitch temperature was 34 degrees that night.
Steele felt some discomfort in his throwing elbow around the fifth inning of that outing and the discomfort lingered into the next day. That led the pitcher down the road to surgery, turning his focus now to returning healthy at some point in the 2026 season.
“We’re excited and confident that when he does get through this and comes back,” Cubs pitching coach Tommy Hotttovy said, “that he can be his dominant self again. Conversations with Justin have just been centered around the positivity of that, trying to make sure that we understand where we are in the journey.
“Sometimes things happen that are outside of our control, and we try to make the best of those opportunities.”