It’s like the Chicago Cubs have gotten into a battle with the baseball gods because their pitching department is going through hell right now. They already have Cade Horton and Jordan Wicks on the IL, and now they have added another $6.77 million pitcher to that list.

Cubs starter Justin Steele, who was supposed to come back from a Tommy John, has been delayed. Baseball reporter Jesse Rogers broke the news.

“Cubs pitcher Justin Steele has had a setback, per sources. He’s shut down for the time being,” said Rogers.

Steele originally had surgery to repair the UCL in his left elbow in April 2025 after a game against the Texas Rangers. Before injury, he held a 3-1 record with a 4.76 ERA in that season. The expectation was for him to get back on the mound in a year. And the Cubs were relying on him because, before the injury in 2023, Steele had made it clear that he was one of the best arms the Cubs had.

But that timeline for his return has shifted because Steele has reported some discomfort during his rehab. And this had forced the Cubs to shut down their pitcher. Doctors checked his arm and found a flexor strain.

This is a major issue. A flexor strain usually means there is stress near the elbow ligament. Because Steele is already recovering from a major elbow surgery, team doctors have to be extra careful to make sure he does not cause any new damage to his UCL.

Manager Craig Counsell confirmed the setback, calling it a clear interruption to his recovery plans. Steele was supposed to return to the major leagues around May. Instead, the team is shutting him down from throwing entirely. He will now be reevaluated in a month, and this means that the Cubs might not have him until after the All-Star break.

Another concern for the Cubs is that this happened during recovery, and this strain might have done more harm to that elbow and might take more time to recover. Steele was ever so close to his minor league start as part of his rehab assignment.

This is also a massive hit to Chicago’s rotation. They have already lost Cade Horton, who underwent another Tommy John surgery just a few days ago. Horton is expected out until mid-2027.

Without Steele, the Cubs are missing their most reliable pitcher. Back in 2023, he had a great 3.06 ERA, made the All-Star team, and finished fifth for the Cy Young award. He pitched just as well in 2024, keeping a 3.07 ERA over 24 starts. The team really needs that kind of steady pitching right now.

Chicago now has to rely on replacement arms, and Counsell can’t ask for stability without Steele in the rotation. His career ERA of 3.30 shows the kind of reliability that the current rotation is missing.

Without a starter like Steele, who can consistently pitch deep into games, the bullpen has to work much harder. In a tough division, the Cubs have very little room for error while they wait for Steele to get healthy.

The Cubs have more pitching problems than you can think of

If the Cubs think that Justin Steele was their only problem, they will need to think again.

One month into the 2026 season, Chicago has a good 17-12 record. That pace could mean around 95 wins this year. But they already have 11 injured pitchers.

President Jed Hoyer said it feels like the team is “70 games in.” Last postseason, the Cubs beat the Padres before losing a five-game series against the Brewers. After that loss, Counsell said that it was going to be a daunting task to face the Dodgers without pitching depth, who were going all guns blazing at that time, and went on to sweep the Brewers 4-0.

So, the Cubs spent more money this offseason to add pitching. Even with the extra money spent, almost half of the 26 pitchers on the 40-man roster remain unavailable.

Left-hander Riley Martin joined the IL with elbow inflammation requiring further testing. The team also let go of veteran Vince Velasquez after he pitched only two innings. Triple-A call-ups Charlie Barnes and Yacksel Ríos show the level of churn that the Cubs are going through.

Craig Counsell continues adjusting usage patterns, often deciding whether starters go deeper into games or get pulled out. He said that each person has to do their job well and pull their weight.

The bullpen could get some help soon, with Phil Maton nearing a return from right knee tendinitis. Daniel Palencia is progressing from a left-side lat strain that spares his throwing arm.

Still sidelined are Hunter Harvey and Caleb Thielbar, and this has impacted the late-inning stability for the Cubs.

In between all the chaos, Shota Imanaga holds a 3.15 ERA across six starts this season. Even in Sunday’s 6-0 loss, Imanaga had earned 5 runs in 5.1 innings pitched, but had pitched 4 scoreless innings in between.

Chicago’s defense and lineup continuity from last year’s 92-win team are churning out the results. However, the organization lacks a steady pipeline of young pitchers ready to replace injured arms. And all this added up is causing more tensions for the Cubs, even with their team on a winning run.