Cubs pitcher Justin Steele lands on injured list with elbow tendonitis

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CHICAGO – The Chicago Cubs placed left-handed starter Justin Steele on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to April 8, with left elbow tendonitis.

It’s the same injury designation that landed Steele on the IL last September – a stint that lasted 17 days. That history contributed to the Cubs’ decision to take a cautious approach with Steele once again.

“We’re gonna take the conservative route here,” manager Craig Counsell said. “He had symptoms of an injury that he experienced last year. For that reason, rather than have him focus on his next start, I think it’s best to back off that and make sure he recovers in a really good place. (We’re) hoping it’s the minimum and he can be ready to go in a couple of weeks.”

Steele has a 4.76 ERA in four starts (22 2/3 innings) this season, but he’s coming off his best start of the season. On Monday, Steele allowed just three hits while tossing seven shutout innings in the Cubs’ 7-0 victory over the Texas Rangers. The game time temperature at Wrigley Field that evening was 34 degrees with winds at 17 mph, making it feel even colder.

“We had some long innings in there,” Counsell said. “He said he felt good going out there. Kind of felt it middlish of that start, fifth, sixth (inning). I think he himself was a little confused, ‘Is it the cold or is it my elbow?’”

Steele said he “would definitely say so” when asked if the cold was a contributing factor, noting that his velocity, along with most pitchers during the cold weather this homestand, was down. He described his feelings as “frustration” regarding being placed on the IL and hoped that it would be a minimum stay. He came in Tuesday planning to work as usual to make his next start during the team’s upcoming West Coast road trip.

“(I) told the trainers (Tuesday) that I wanted to come in and do a lot of recovery stuff,” Steele said. “Do everything I can to get the recovery process underway. They asked how I was doing, and I said, ‘It’s kind of sore, kind of tight.’ They made the decision to go ahead and put me on the IL.”

Steele has been the Cubs’ most consistent starter over the last few years, breaking out in 2023 when he delivered a 3.06 ERA in 173 1/3 innings while finishing fifth in Cy Young voting. Last season, he missed a month after straining his left hamstring on Opening Day. Even with that injury and the elbow tendonitis that popped up in September, he still gave the Cubs 134 2/3 innings with a 3.07 ERA.

Steele is scheduled to get an MRI on Thursday. In a corresponding move, the Cubs called up right-handed reliever Ethan Roberts . The Cubs are off Thursday before a six-game road trip, during which they will face the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres. After that, they have three days off within eight days, so the team may only need to cover one start should Steele miss the minimum amount of time.

“We have a tentative plan,” Counsell said. “That means we don’t have to figure it out yet. That spot comes up – we gotta talk about Sunday, Monday essentially.”

Colin Rea, who has been eating innings out of the bullpen, is one logical option to make a start. Depending on the shape of the bullpen, they could just lean on relievers for a game. Should the Cubs decide to make another roster move, the most logical option at Triple-A would be Jordan Wicks, who is already on the 40-man roster.

(Photo: Matt Dirksen / Chicago Cubs / Getty Images)

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