Justin Steele is finally headed back into game action, and for the Cubs, that alone counts as a win.
Marquee Sports Network's Taylor McGregor confirmed that Steele’s minor-league rehab assignment will begin Wednesday with the Iowa Cubs, giving Chicago its first real on-field update on the left-hander in a long time. It will be Steele’s first appearance in a professional game since April 7 of last year, a milestone that comes after UCL surgery and then a flexor strain earlier this year pushed him off his original timetable.
The bigger picture, though, is where this gets tricky. Steele’s return is not expected to be fast-tracked, and the Cubs have made it clear they won’t take shortcuts. That same patient approach has been used with Shelby Miller, whose rehab path has offered a useful comparison - and maybe a warning sign.
Miller began his rehab assignment on August 9 and, for the first three weeks, worked one inning at a time with several days between outings. He was supposed to pitch back-to-back games over the weekend, but he has not pitched since Friday. If Steele follows a similar schedule, the calendar starts to get tight in a hurry.
That would push him toward the final week of the regular season before he’s even ready to handle back-to-back appearances. The I-Cubs’ season ends on September 20, which is the earliest point when Steele could even be considered for a spot with the big-league bullpen.
Even then, the timing may not cooperate. By that stage, the Cubs will be sorting out their playoff roster, and if Steele is only just getting into the back-to-back phase of his rehab, it’s tough to see him as a realistic postseason option.
A return as a starter would change the equation, but the Cubs have already said the bullpen is his first route back. That makes the ability to pitch on consecutive days the key checkpoint. If Steele wants a shot at the playoff roster, he’ll have to show he can handle that load.
At the same time, the Cubs may not be viewing this solely through the lens of this October. If the bigger goal is to have Steele fully ready for 2027 without restrictions, then his rehab can’t be rushed just to squeeze him into this year’s run.
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The bigger issue now is whether Miller can show he is built to work on consecutive days, since that has been the standard the Cubs have been waiting on throughout the rehab. Until he does, the timeline remains unsettled, and the next update is expected once the roster expansion period begins. For a bullpen that could use another dependable arm, the delay leaves another question hanging over the late-season picture. [Read more 🡒]