Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Justin Steele Injury Update: What Happened to Cubs Starting Pitcher?

Season-ending surgery!

Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Pitchers and injuries – it’s an everyday story. If you’re wondering what happened in baseball today, “a pitcher got injured” could honestly be the default opening line to half the updates.

Justin Steele's season is over pic.twitter.com/ZRbwawJ1xz
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 13, 2025

This time, it’s the Chicago Cubs’ Justin Steele.

Justin Steele has been diagnosed with a serious left elbow issue that will require season-ending surgery, as confirmed by Cubs manager Craig Counsell on Sunday.

When Will Justin Steele Return?

Steele, who previously underwent Tommy John surgery in 2017, will need to repair a flexor tendon in his elbow. While the exact nature of the surgery is still to be determined, it is unclear whether Steele will undergo another full Tommy John procedure or a more refined revision surgery with an internal brace. Regardless of the procedure, the 29-year-old left-hander is expected to be out for the remainder of the 2025 season, with a possible return no sooner than 2026.

“On a day like this, you feel for Justin,” said Counsell. “It’s kind of the life of a major league pitcher, these injuries that make you miss most of seasons. But I talked to him this morning, and he has a great attitude about it, as he always does. He knows that it’s part of the career he’s chosen, and he’s going to take it a step at a time and do the best he can to come back even better.”

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Justin Steele, who was placed on the injured list last week after experiencing elbow discomfort following his most recent start, had been performing well up until the setback. His last outing, a dominant seven-inning shutout performance against the Texas Rangers, had shown the form that made him one of the Cubs’ key pitchers. However, after reporting pain the following day while receiving treatment, it became clear that a more serious issue was at play.

Before his injury, Steele had posted a 3-1 record with a 4.76 ERA over four starts this season. While he had managed to avoid major setbacks in recent years, he has struggled with minor elbow issues that have caused him to miss time. Steele had even spent time on the IL late last season before returning to make two appearances in September. He made his season start against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Japan.

Despite this setback, Steele’s career has been impressive. Over the course of 91 career starts, all with the Cubs, Steele boasts a solid 32-22 record and a 3.30 ERA.

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Justin Steele

Mohsin Baldiwala

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Mohsin Baldiwala is a Master’s student in Journalism and freelance content producer who got hooked on baseball through Seinfeld’s hapless George Costanza. The same reason why he’s a Yankees fan. He writes about sports because he believes it can offer a brief escape from the world’s chaos. Even if that means enduring the heartbreak of the 2024 World Series.