Justin Steele: Everything you need to know

Manager Craig Counsell said Tuesday that Steele's (elbow) setback will keep him sidelined until after the All-Star break, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports. The Cubs were originally anticipating an early-June return for Steele, but after suffering a setback in his rehab program Tuesday, the 30-year-old southpaw will now have another month-plus added to his time on the IL. A more precise timeline for his return may begin to emerge whenever he is cleared to resume throwing.

Steele (elbow) suffered a setback in his rehab program and was shut down from throwing Tuesday, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports. The specifics of the setback or length of the shutdown aren't yet clear, but any shutdown of more than a few days will likely mean Steele won't return from the 60-day injured list when first eligible in late May, at minimum. The left-hander is working his way back from the UCL revision surgery he underwent last April, but his return timeline is now murky.

The Cubs placed Steele (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Wednesday. Steele is progressing as anticipated after undergoing UCL revision surgery back on April 18, 2025, but he'll still need at least the first two months of the 2026 season to complete the lengthy recovery process. The southpaw checked off a major box in his rehab program by facing live hitters in batting practice sessions just under two weeks ago. He'll likely continue to gradually increase the volume and intensity of his pitching in live BP sessions and simulated games over at least the next few weeks before eventually embarking on an extended minor-league rehab assignment.