Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

What’s Next for Chicago Cubs After Justin Steele’s Season-Ending Injury?

Sandy Alcantara?

Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

The Chicago Cubs have taken a major hit: ace left-hander Justin Steele is done for the season. It’s the kind of blow that could knock some teams off course. But for these Cubs, who sit at 10-7 and just Saturday wrapped up a dominant 16-0 road win over the mighty Los Angeles Dodgers, Steele’s absence doesn’t necessarily spell doom.

LHP Justin Steele will undergo left elbow surgery and miss remainder of 2025 season, per Cubs manager Craig Counsell. pic.twitter.com/XKuzVCaUXp
— MLB (@MLB) April 13, 2025

Yes, losing Steele is a big setback. He was fresh off a brilliant outing against the defending champion Texas Rangers, throwing seven shutout innings in what looked like the start of a return to form. Still, through four starts, he had posted a 4.76 ERA, a far cry from the dominance he showed in 2023. The Cubs have been piecing together wins without relying too heavily on any one arm, and their recent hot stretch is proof they can weather the storm.

Chicago’s season opened with a thud, swept by the Dodgers in Japan, but since then, the team has surged. They’ve won seven of their last ten, showing a balance of timely offense and competent pitching. Now comes the challenge of filling Steele’s spot in the rotation, and president Jed Hoyer has no shortage of options.

Internal Options: Ben Brown, Colin Rea… and Maybe Cade Horton?

The immediate plan appears to be rolling with Ben Brown and Colin Rea. Both have filled in admirably and give manager Craig Counsell reliable innings as the rotation regroups. But the name to watch is Cade Horton.

Ranked as the Cubs’ No. 2 prospect by MLB Pipeline, Horton has been lights-out to start the season in Triple-A Iowa. In just over seven innings, he’s posted a 1.23 ERA with 12 strikeouts. The 22-year-old isn’t on the 40-man roster yet, but Steele’s injury may accelerate the timeline.

If the Cubs decide they need more upside than stability, Horton could get the call sooner rather than later.

External Options to Replace Justin Steele

The Cubs aren’t just a team with momentum, they’re also a team with financial flexibility and a deep farm system. That makes them a potential player for one of the marquee arms that could be available.

Sandy Alcantara (Marlins)

Sandy Alcantara would be the crown jewel. The 2022 NL Cy Young winner is back to looking like his old self and is on a team that may be heading for a reset. Alcantara is under team-friendly control through 2026, and while the price would be steep, it’s the kind of move that can transform a postseason run.

He’s a proven ace, a workhorse who could anchor a playoff rotation. For a front office and manager in win-now mode, and a GM in the final year of his deal, it might be the right time to go all-in.

Dustin May (Dodgers)

L.A. is loaded with pitching depth and once everyone is healthy, they’ll have more starters than rotation spots. Dustin May has quietly dominated early – 0.82 ERA through two starts – but his injury history and impending free agency could make him available.

The Dodgers likely wouldn’t ask for a premium return, and with Dustin May potentially being the odd man out once Blake Snell, Shohei Ohtani, and Tony Gonsolin return, the timing could work for both sides.

Luis Castillo (Mariners)

Seattle’s rotation is elite, even with George Kirby sidelined. But Luis Castillo is the oldest and most expensive of the group, and the Mariners have young talent like Emerson Hancock waiting in the wings. If the Mariners want to upgrade their offense, moving Castillo could be the play.

The Cubs could dangle a bat like Ian Happ or Seiya Suzuki, paired with prospects, in a package that helps both teams balance out their rosters.

As the summer unfolds, how the Chicago Cubs respond to this injury could define their season.

Cubs

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.