Chicago, IL – Chicago Cubs pitcher Justin Steele has been placed on the injured list due to left elbow tendinitis, the team announced. The lefty is expected to undergo a minimum stint on the IL as he deals with discomfort that arose during his last start against the Rangers. Despite gutting through for a couple more innings, Steele’s discomfort persisted in the days following the game, leading to the team’s decision to place him on the IL.
Steele, 29, had been delivering strong performances prior to his injury, with his most recent outing against the Rangers resulting in seven scoreless innings. However, his fastball velocity during that game dropped to 90.2 mph, tied for the lowest mark in his career. While the cold temperatures at Wrigley Field may have contributed to the decrease in velocity, it appears that elbow issues are also a factor.
The Cubs have not provided a definite timeline for Steele’s absence, but he is expected to be sidelined into late April at the very least. With fellow starter Javier Assad also on the injured list, the Cubs are looking to veteran Colin Rea or lefty Jordan Wicks to fill in the gap in the rotation.
In a corresponding move, the Cubs have recalled righty Ethan Roberts from Triple-A Iowa to take Steele’s roster spot. Roberts, 27, brings a fresh arm to the bullpen and has shown promising early results in Iowa, with a scoreless streak in his appearances so far.
As the Cubs navigate Steele’s absence and reconfigure their rotation, they face a stretch of six consecutive games from April 11-16. The team has the option to use Rea or Wicks in a bullpen game to manage the workload effectively. With limited off-days in April, the Cubs will rely on their pitching depth to maintain their competitiveness in the early part of the season.