Progress is strong for Justin Steele's return from elbow surgery. Cubs fans could see him back on the mound as early as mid-May.
Chicago Cubs left-handed pitcher Justin Steele continues to progress from his elbow injury.
Steele underwent season-ending elbow surgery last season to repair his UCL and flexor tendon. The injury was initially described as elbow tendinitis, but the southpaw needed surgery to repair both the ligament and tendon in his elbow.
The good news was that the surgery that was required in April was not Tommy John surgery. Steele opted for the internal brace procedure, which carries a far less recovery timeline than Tommy John surgery.
That means Steele will be able to make his season debut at some point in the first half of the 2026 season. That’s what manager Craig Counsell also echoed back at the Winter Meetings when talking about the left-hander’s recovery.
But when can Cubs fans expect Steele to return to the mound?
Although there hasn’t been a clear timeline on when Steele will be fully healthy to pitch, we got some insight over the weekend that hints at when fans can expect the 30-year-old back on the mound.
The Cubs officially announced the Shelby Miller signing on Sunday afternoon. To make room for him on the 40-man roster, they had to make a move. The team had to either designate a player for assignment or move a player to the 60-day injured list.
Chicago eventually made the decision to designate infielder Ben Cowles for assignment.
In this situation, the Cubs could have easily placed Steele on the 60-day IL to begin the season. He is still recovering from that elbow injury, and the North Siders are risking losing Cowles through waivers.
By not placing Steele on the 60-day IL, though, that could mean the Cubs aren’t totally sure if he will be out for the first 60 days. They might want to see how he progresses over the next few weeks, with a chance to make his season debut in mid-May.
That mid-May return could be when Steele makes his debut. The left-hander told Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times that he is targeting a May/June return from his elbow injury. That timeline is definitely possible, given that Steele continues to build up toward a return.
The 30-year-old threw off the mound for the first time in mid-January, just recently threw a 30-pitch bullpen session on Tuesday, and has begun to throw his slider in those bullpen sessions.
Considering the Cubs didn’t place him on the 60-day IL to make room for Miller on the 40-man roster, there’s a strong possibility that Steele is pitching in the big leagues at some point in May.