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Less than 24 hours out from the Chicago Cubs Opening Day game against the Washington Nationals, veteran starting pitcher, Justin Steele was placed on the 60-day injured list.  Steele underwent an elbow surgery to repair his left ulnar collateral ligament back in April 2025.

The doctor who performed the surgery, medically cleared Steele on February 28. The lefty has advanced to facing live batters according to the MLB.com injury tracker.

Steele is expected to make his return in the first-half of the season. The Cubs are aiming to designate their starting pitcher to a minor league rehab assignment toward the end of April.

While the loss of Steele to start the season adds a layer of worry in the city of Chicago, the Cubs designated right-hander Jack Neely for assignment.

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Justin Steele’s Return Will Round Out A Scary Chicago Cubs Starting Rotation

Justin Steele was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 5th round of the 2014 MLB June Amateur Draft. Steele didn’t see a big league mound until April 12, 2021.

The lefty came in relief against the Milwaukee Brewers where he allowed only one hit in 1.3 innings. Later that season, Steele found himself in a starting a role.

Through his seven professional season in Chicago, Steele posts a 3.30 career ERA, with a 32-22 record, and 517 strikeouts.

His breakout season was in 2023 where he cemented himself as Chicago’s new ace. Steele had a win-loss record of 16-5, a 3.05 ERA, and 176 strikeouts through 30 starts.

Although the timeline is still up in the air for for Steele’s return, the Chicago Cubs are in no rush to put him back on the mound. The Cubs are loaded with elite starting pitchers like Cade Horton, Matthew Boyd, Jameson Taillon, Edward Cabrera, and Shota Imanaga.

The Cubs can afford to run a slow rehab plan for Steele, in order to ensure that he is healthy enough for a long playoff run.

In an article back in March, by Patrick Mooney of The Athletic, Steele discusses the Cubs’ starting rotation and the importance of his return.

“The depth is just amazing this year going into the season,” Steele said, “the amount of starting pitchers that we can roll out there at any given time. We all have that in mind.

“Those outings in October and November mean a lot more, so it’s really important that I’m hitting my stride at that point, and that’s when I’m at my best, because that’s what’s going to help the team the most.”

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Jack Neely Set to Fill New Shoes in Chicago to Start 2026

The 25-year-old right-handed pitcher, Jack Neely, has floated around the Cubs minor league teams since 2024. Neely made his major league debut on August 21, 2024 in a relief role, where he finished out the season in the Cubs bullpen.

Neely, however, spent all of 2025 in the Cubs minor league system.

The Chicago Cubs injury list has grown to include four pitchers. Left-handed pitchers Justin Steele and Jordan Wicks, and right-handed pitchers Porter Hodge and Shelby Miller.

Neely has the opportunity to add depth to the Cubs’ bullpen and prove himself to be worthy of a long-term spot on the 40-man roster.

In Spring Training Neely pitched four innings in four games. He allowed zero hits, with seven strikeouts, and two walks.

McKenna Van Gundy McKenna Van Gundy is a sports journalist covering the NFL for Heavy.com. She spent two years as a sports contributor for her University’s newspaper, covering games and writing feature stories on players and coaches. She currently works for the NFL as a digital programming associate and lives in the greater Los Angeles area. More about McKenna Van Gundy