"The club had lost staff ace Justin Steele just four starts into his 2025 season to UCL revision surgery. That procedure, which Steele underwent in mid-April of last year, came with an initial recovery timeline of roughly one year. There's been minimal updates on Steele's status since then, but the left-hander (as noted by MLB.com) took a big step forward in his rehab last week when he threw off a mound for the first time since going under the knife."
"In an interview with Elise Menaker of Marquee Sports Network, Steele noted that while he doesn't have a specific timeline for his return to the majors, he expects to face hitters at some point during Spring Training and added that he's not only suffered no setbacks but is "ahead of schedule, if anything." That's certainly a positive sign for Cubs fans who are hoping to see Steele back on the mound early in the 2026 campaign."
Justin Steele underwent UCL revision surgery in mid-April 2025 and initially faced an approximately one-year recovery timeline. He recently threw off a mound for the first time since surgery, marking a significant rehab milestone. Steele reported no setbacks, described himself as "ahead of schedule," and expects to face hitters during Spring Training without specifying a major-league return date. The Cubs enter 2026 with their full 2025 rotation intact and added Edward Cabrera while retaining promising arms Cade Horton, Shota Imanaga, Matthew Boyd, and Jameson Taillon. That depth could allow the team to manage Steele's recovery conservatively while other starters and prospects provide innings.
Read at MLB Trade Rumors
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