Cubs’ Craig Counsell drops pivotal Justin Steele injury return timeline

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Cubs’ Craig Counsell drops pivotal Justin Steele injury return timeline

Dan Fappiano, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Wed, Dec 10, 2025 ·

2 min read

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The Chicago Cubs are sure to make plenty of changes to their rotation throughout the offseason. Any move made will have Justin Steele 's injury return timeline in consideration.

The Cubs would like to pencil Steele into their Opening Day rotation. But Craig Counsell doesn't think that'll become reality. Still, he is expecting the left-hander to be back in the mix sooner rather than later , via Bruce Levine of 670 The Score.

"It's not going to be Opening Day, but we think it's likely in the first half of the season."

Steele is working his way back from elbow surgery in Apri l. While it wasn't a full Tommy John surgery, the Cubs will still be cautious. While the first half of the season is a bit ambiguous, Counsell is expecting Steele to play a major role in Chicago's rotation over the course of the season; if healthy of course.

Since making his jump to the big leagues in 2021, Steele has put up a 3.30 ERA and a 517/155 K/BB ratio over 102 games. He earned his first All-Star nomination in 2023, before throwing to a 3.07 ERA and 135/37 K/BB ratio over his last full season in 2024.

With Shota Imanaga accepting his qualifying option , he'll return to a rotation that features names such as Matthew Boyd and Cade Horton . The Cubs as a whole ranked ninth in team ERA with a 3.79 mark in 2025. Adding Steele back into the rotation gives Chicago a bit more stability as they try to stay towards the top of the league.

When that return will happen is still a bit up in the air. But Counsell is hopeful to see Steele before the All-Star break.

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