Overview
- Steele was diagnosed Tuesday with a flexor strain in his left elbow after discomfort in a bullpen session, and the Cubs shut him down from throwing.
- Manager Craig Counsell said imaging showed his ulnar collateral ligament was intact and doctors will check him again in about a month.
- The setback wipes out hopes for a late May or June activation and shifts plans toward a return in the season’s second half.
- Chicago must ride its current rotation of Shota Imanaga, Matthew Boyd, Edward Cabrera, Jameson Taillon and Colin Rea, with Cade Horton lost for 2026 and multiple relievers on the injured list.
- Steele posted an emotional message on X about the setback, saying he has done everything asked in rehab and intends to come back.