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MESA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 17: Pitcher Justin Steele #35 of the Chicago Cubs poses for a portrait during photo day at Sloan Park on February 17, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)

The Chicago Cubs got some great news on Justin Steele’s rehab. Per manager Craig Counsell, the left-hander will start throwing next week.

“He’s got one more week of plyo ball section, then he’ll start throwing the following week,” said Counsell on Marquee Sports Network’s pregame coverage. “Then he’s got a couple weeks throwing program with us.”

Counsell later clarified that Steele will start his throwing program on June 22.

While that is going on, Steele will travel with the team. Counsell said the left-hander is currently en route to Chicago from Arizona. He had been working at the club’s Spring Training complex.

Justin Steele’s Injury Situation

This is welcome news for the Cubs, who have missed Steele all season. He suffered a setback in his return from an internal brace procedure last season, re-injuring the flexor tendon in his left elbow.

While this new injury doesn’t require surgery, it has shut him down for a month. He’s had to start the rehab process all over again from square one.

With the left-hander set to start throwing again on June 22, it increases the likelihood he’ll return to the rotation before the end of the 2026 season. But it will require just about every step to go right.

From starting the throwing program, he’ll need to progress to throwing off a mound and facing hitters. It will take a full Spring Training-like build-up to get Steele ready to start again. That could be another six-plus weeks before he starts another game for Chicago.

Best-case scenario, that means Steele will return to the Cubs rotation on the other side of the deadline. While the team can consider his return, it should affect their trade deadline strategy. Their rotation has struggled all season long, so they need reinforcements in that area.

Cubs Rotation Situation Entering the Trade Deadline

The Cubs are struggling to field together a starting rotation. Their current rotation is Shota Imanaga, Edward Cabrera, Ben Brown, Colin Rea, and Javier Assad. They’ve lost Cade Horton for the season, and Justin Steele has been out all season.

Jameson Taillon and Matthew Boyd are both expected to return before the trade deadline, which should give the club more options. Boyd’s next step is throwing a bullpen this week, before the team decides if he needs a rehab start. He’ll be the first of the two veterans to return.

Taillon’s return will be sometime after the All-Star break. The right-hander has struggled all season, with an ERA and FIP both over 5.00. Should the club make a significant addition to the rotation, they could re-evaluate the veteran’s spot.

At full strength, Rea and Assad would get bumped from the rotation in favor of Boyd and Taillon. That gives Chicago a two-week period to see where they need to add to their rotation before making a run at the Wild Card spot.

Chicago is tied to various pitchers in trade rumors, with the team linked to Tarik Skubal, Casey Mize, and Freddy Peralta of late. The team is looking for rotation stability, as they try to stay alive in a tight National League Wild Card race. They enter play on June 15 with a 37-35 record and a game back of the final Wild Card spot.