Without Justin Steele, the Cubs Must Rely on Their Depth

Chicago Cubs front office people have said time and time again that “you can never have enough pitching.” That rings so true after news dropped Sunday that Justin Steele will miss the rest of the season.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell told reporters in Los Angeles that Steele will undergo surgery to repair the flexor tendon and address the ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow.

Last Wednesday, the Cubs placed Steele on the 15-day injured list with left elbow tendinitis. That came just two days after his stellar start against the Rangers.

Steele had an MRI scheduled for Thursday, but prior to that, there was some hope (and maybe even some cautious optimism) that it wouldn’t be an extended absence. Then, the mood seemed to shift after the MRI. Counsell told reporters Friday the results were concerning enough to seek a second opinion.

Steele dealt with the same elbow issue last September, and it could’ve become a persistent issue. So, the decision was made that he would undergo surgery. The specific nature of the surgery has not yet been determined, and neither has a timetable for his return.

All we know is that Steele won’t pitch again for the Cubs in 2025.

First off, you have to feel for the 29-year-old southpaw. Steele has dealt with his share of injuries as a pro. Even before the elbow injury in 2024, he went down that Opening Day with a left hamstring strain and didn’t pitch again until May. He also had Tommy John surgery in 2017 as a minor leaguer. This is another health challenge he’ll have to overcome.

Then, you think about what losing Steele for the rest of the year means for the 2025 Cubs.

They didn’t go out and add another top-of-the-rotation arm during the offseason. They brought in Matthew Boyd, but he’d also had limited starts for the Guardians last season after his own recovery from Tommy John.

The rotation was the team’s strength for the majority of last season. The Cubs also went into this season with solid depth behind Steele, Shota Imanaga, Jameson Taillon and Boyd. That included the likes of Ben Brown, Javier Assad (currently on the IL), Jordan Wicks, free-agent pickup Colin Rea and top pitching prospect Cade Horton.

Still, one could imagine the impact an injury to someone like Steele could have. And now, that scenario has presented itself.

There are strong options remaining from the Opening Day rotation. Despite a rough showing Wednesday, Imanaga still owns a 2.70 ERA. Taillon, who starts Monday night in San Diego, has thrown back-to-back quality starts after a tough first start on March 28.

Boyd followed two shutout outings with a quality start against the Dodgers on Friday. And Brown, who owned a 7.71 ERA after his first three appearances (two starts), tossed six shutout innings Saturday in Los Angeles.

Rea, who started the year in the bullpen, filled in for Steele on Sunday and put together 3 2/3 one-run innings. Wicks pitched three scoreless innings for Triple-A Iowa on Sunday and is already on the 40-man roster.

Counsell told reporters Assad (oblique) is slated for rehab starts Tuesday and Sunday, so he could be ready to return in the next couple of weeks.

Horton is pitching in Triple-A as well, but he’s coming off an injury-shortened 2024, and the Cubs want him to keep building up with consistent innings. That could put him in line to come up later in the summer.

So, as far as depth goes, the Cubs have some nice pieces. But what about at the top of the rotation? It’s unlikely a blockbuster trade happens this early. Yet, without a major trade, there’s really no immediate way to fill Steele’s spot.

The Cubs do have four off days over the next two weeks. That could help them piece together the puzzle for a bit. But Steele is a top-level arm. Between 2022-24, his 3.10 ERA ranked ninth in baseball. His 2023 campaign earned him a fifth-place finish in National League Cy Young voting.

The Cubs entered Monday 11-7 and in first place in the NL Central. They also owned the best run differential (plus-43) in MLB. Even still, losing Steele is obviously very tough, especially in a crucial season like this for the Cubs.

As Counsell told reporters Sunday, “You don’t replace people like Justin Steele. The next guy has to step up, but it’s very difficult to replace that level of play.”