"Steele himself told reporters (including Mark Gonzales) earlier today that he has reached the point in his rehab where he no longer needs to visit with Dr. Keith Meister, who performed Steele's UCL revision surgery last year. Gonzales adds that Steele is stretched out to between 35 and 40 pitches in his bullpen sessions, while Bruce Levine of 670 The Score reports that Steele is on track for a return to the big leagues at some point in May or June."
"An All-Star and fifth place finisher in NL Cy Young award voting back in 2023, Steele posted a 3.07 ERA and 3.11 FIP with a 24.5% strikeout rate in 54 starts across his last two healthy seasons. That's the production of a front-of-the-rotation starter, which the Cubs sorely lacked during the playoffs last year."
"Perhaps in an effort to avoid a similar outcome late in the season this year, the Cubs have built a deep rotation by re-signing Imanaga and trade for right-hander Edward Cabrera. Imanaga, Cabrera, Horton, Boyd, and Jameson Taillon are all surefire locks for rotation roles this year, and that could leave the Cubs looking to expand to a six-man rotation when Steele returns."
Justin Steele has reached a significant milestone in his recovery from UCL revision surgery, no longer needing follow-up visits with Dr. Keith Meister. Steele is currently throwing 35-40 pitches in bullpen sessions and remains on track for a May or June return to the Cubs. His recovery timeline aligns with previous projections from Spring Training. Steele's return is crucial for the Cubs rotation, given his 2023 All-Star status and front-of-the-rotation credentials. The Cubs have strengthened their pitching depth by re-signing Shota Imanaga and acquiring Edward Cabrera, creating flexibility for a potential six-man rotation when Steele returns.
#justin-steele-injury-recovery #cubs-rotation-depth #ucl-surgery-rehabilitation #mlb-pitching-prospects
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