60-Day IL
Injury Elbow
Est. Return 2/1/2027
2026 Stats
W-L
0-0
ERA
0.00
WHIP
0.00
K
0
SV
0
Rest-of-Season Projections
2026 Fantasy Outlook
Steele made just four starts before undergoing UCL revision surgery in April, which sidelined him for the remainder of the 2025 campaign. The left-hander surrendered five runs during his season debut but pitched to a 3.38 ERA in his other three outings. More importantly, Steele is poised to begin 2026 on the injured list, but he could be ready to join the Cubs' starting rotation at some point during the first half of the season. His fantasy upside could vary significantly depending on when he's actually available, so keeping tabs on his rehab progress in the spring will be significant. Steele could have some limitations in his first year back from elbow surgery -- both in terms of effectiveness and workload -- but his career 3.30 ERA and 9.2 K/9 offer plenty of reason for fantasy managers to be willing to take the risk. Read Past Outlooks
Signed a one-year, $6.78 million contract with the Cubs in January of 2026.
Focusing on 2027 season
Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said Tuesday in a radio appearance that he doesn't expect Steele (elbow) to rejoin the major-league rotation this season, Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com reports.
Analysis
Steele underwent UCL revision surgery last May and then encountered a setback in late April, when he was diagnosed with a flexor strain. The lefty resumed a throwing program Monday, and while Hoyer didn't rule Steele out as a bullpen option for the Cubs later this season, he's not expected to be a candidate for the rotation in 2026. Instead, Steele will be brought along slowly as the Cubs prepare him to be healthy heading into the 2027 campaign.
Steele underwent UCL revision surgery last May and then encountered a setback in late April, when he was diagnosed with a flexor strain. The lefty resumed a throwing program Monday, and while Hoyer didn't rule Steele out as a bullpen option for the Cubs later this season, he's not expected to be a candidate for the rotation in 2026. Instead, Steele will be brought along slowly as the Cubs prepare him to be healthy heading into the 2027 campaign.
Pitching Stats
Loading Pitching Stats...
2026 MLB Game Log
2026
2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
Minor League Game Log
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Loading Minor League Pitching Game Log...
Left/Right Pitching Splits
Since 2024
-20%
BAA vs LHP
2026
No Stats
| BAA | K | BB | H | HR | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Since 2024vs Left | .187 | 38 | 9 | 23 | 2 | |||
| Since 2024vs Right | .233 | 118 | 33 | 109 | 15 | |||
| 2026vs Left | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2026vs Right | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2025vs Left | .185 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 0 | |||
| 2025vs Right | .276 | 15 | 3 | 16 | 5 | |||
| 2024vs Left | .188 | 32 | 7 | 18 | 2 | |||
| 2024vs Right | .227 | 103 | 30 | 93 | 10 | |||
| More Splits→ | View More Split Stats | |||||||
Home/Away Pitching Splits
Since 2024
-5%
ERA on Road
2026
No Stats
| ERA | WHIP | IP | K/9 | BB/9 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Since 2024Home | 3.40 | 1.12 | 76.2 | 9.0 | 2.9 | ||||
| Since 2024Away | 3.24 | 1.09 | 80.2 | 8.8 | 1.9 | ||||
| 2026Home | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 2026Away | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 2025Home | 4.09 | 1.00 | 11.0 | 10.6 | 2.5 | ||||
| 2025Away | 5.40 | 1.29 | 11.2 | 6.2 | 1.5 | ||||
| 2024Home | 3.29 | 1.14 | 65.2 | 8.8 | 3.0 | ||||
| 2024Away | 2.87 | 1.06 | 69.0 | 9.3 | 2.0 | ||||
| More Splits→ | View More Split Stats | ||||||||
Advanced Pitching Stats
Loading Advanced Pitching Stats...
Defensive Stats
Loading MLB Defensive Stats...
Stats Vs Today's Lineup
Want more matchup stats?
Loading Matchup Stats...
Our full team depth charts are reserved for RotoWire subscribers.
Subscribe Now
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2025
2024
2023
2022
2016
Steele had a breakout season in 2023 but somewhat of a breakdown 2024 season when you look at him from a medical angle. The hamstring strain he incurred in his first start of the season led to him missing a month, but then left forearm soreness in late August was a scare, especially for someone who has already had Tommy John surgery. Thankfully, Steele made it back to throw two more games before the season ended, so some of the mystery around the injury was resolved. Steele continues to employ a very unusual repertoire for a starter, as he throws his four-seamer or his slider nearly 90 percent of the time. Lefties continued to have little success against him, while righties are still mostly kept at bay because Steele does not hurt himself with walks, and the use of the changeup and curve at least keep righties guessing. That combination has helped him become one of the better hard contact suppressors in the league. Nearly every indicator points in the right direction, but the health scare of September is a fresh reminder of his downside for 2025.
More Fantasy News
Resumes throwing program
Steele (elbow) resumed a throwing program Monday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
Analysis
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Continuing to make progress
Steele (elbow) will throw plyometric balls for the next week and then progress to throwing a baseball, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Analysis
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Out through All-Star break
Manager Craig Counsell said Tuesday that Steele's (elbow) setback will keep him sidelined until after the All-Star break, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.
Analysis
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Suffers setback
Steele (elbow) suffered a setback in his rehab program and was shut down from throwing Tuesday, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Heads to 60-day IL
The Cubs placed Steele (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Wednesday.
Analysis
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Latest Fantasy Rumors
Targeting return around May or June
Steele, who's rehabbing from an elbow injury that cost him most of the 2025 season, is planning to return to the Cubs rotation in May or June, according to Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times.
Analysis
Steele revealed that he's throwing 30-pitch bullpen sessions, so his rehab seems to be going in the right direction. It remains to be seen if the star hurler will be able to recapture his form right away, but nonetheless, having a pitcher of Steele's caliber back in the rotation will be a huge boost for a Chicago team that looks like a true contender in the NL.
Steele revealed that he's throwing 30-pitch bullpen sessions, so his rehab seems to be going in the right direction. It remains to be seen if the star hurler will be able to recapture his form right away, but nonetheless, having a pitcher of Steele's caliber back in the rotation will be a huge boost for a Chicago team that looks like a true contender in the NL.