The Chicago Cubs are flying high this season, but not everyone is enjoying the ride from the field. Justin Steele, the team’s ace, is watching from the sidelines as his teammates charge toward the postseason without him. Their offense? Electric. Their record? Division-leading. But their pitching rotation? Running on fumes. The man who was supposed to anchor them through this stretch is now rehabbing an unexpected injury. Steele’s absence has left a void the Cubs can’t ignore. And all he wants now is one thing: to get back on the mound, no matter the cost.
Steele entered the 2025 season with a career ERA of 3.30. But his season hopes came crashing down when the starter had to undergo surgery to repair the flexor tendon in his left elbow. Since then, he has spent most of his time in Arizona, fully committed to his rehab. The left-hander’s absence has stripped the Cubs’ rotation of its reliability. But with a crucial stretch ahead, Steele wants just one thing: to make a comeback ASAP.
Steele hinted at his return recently in a conversation on the Foul Territory podcast. “It’s going great. Every day I show up, I just tell them I’m like another week ahead of schedule,” Steele said. “So at this point, I’m like four weeks ahead of schedule. So maybe a playoff push or something,” he added. It’s clear, Steele is itching to get back on the mound.
“Jokingly, every day, I’m like, ‘Throwing Monday, and throwing next Monday, right?’ And everybody just kind of laughs it off and stuff,” Steele continued. “I’m working my tail off. I mean, the first Tommy John I had in 2017, I was back in game action at like seven and a half, eight months. Was back at the affiliate in nine or 10 months. So I mean, when it comes to rehab, I work really hard at this stuff and want to be back playing with the team, especially the way they’re playing right now and stuff.”, he added.
July 5, 2024, Chicago, IL, USA: Chicago Cubs pitcher Justin Steele walks to the dugout after finishing off the Los Angeles Angels in the seventh inning on Friday, July 5, 2024, at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Chicago USA – ZUMAm67_ 0706634594st Copyright: xChrisxSwedax
He’s not wrong. The Cubs are now leading the NL Central with a stunning 46–32 record. They’ve gone 17–8 in their last 25 games. But if they’re aiming for a real run at October glory, they need to find a proper fill-in for Steele, who has been a cornerstone of the pitching staff. Shota Imanaga’s possible return is great news for the team, but without another powerful arm to back him up, things won’t be easy. With Ben Brown and Colin Rea not proving to be consistently effective, one thing is certain: the Cubs are going to be active at the trade deadline.
“I think we’re going to be looking for pitching—both in the rotation and the bullpen—and that’s not a secret. That’s not a knock on the guys we have. But I think in today’s game, you’ve got to keep building depth,” revealed Jed Hoyer on the NY Post podcast The Show. With Steele’s comeback date uncertain, that may be their only real option. And the answer they’re looking for might just come from the Diamondbacks.
Cubs’ search for a starting pitcher
In Steele’s absence, the Cubs have continued to find different ways to win and reshape their rotation. But according to Bruce Levine of 670 The Score, the Cubs are actively looking to add a pitcher, and the trade could happen very soon. “I wouldn’t be shocked over the next week or 10 days—maybe even before the trade deadline—if they make a move for another starting pitcher,” Levine said. And now, two other top analysts have offered them a perfect target.
According to Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel, Arizona Diamondbacks’ Zac Gallen is a possible candidate. “Gallen was excellent for the past three seasons, but now, in a contract year, is posting career-worst numbers in almost every category,” McDaniel and Passan wrote. “His stuff looks pretty similar, but he’s allowing much more damage when hitters make contact. Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen said the team does not plan to deal away players at the deadline, but if Arizona doesn’t make a run, it could reap a huge return with all of its impending free agents.“, the added. If Arizona decides to be sellers, the Cubs could definitely try for Gallen.
Gallen is 5–8 with 86 strikeouts and a 5.60 ERA this season. He’s one of several potential arms the Cubs could pursue. Other options include Merrill Kelly (Diamondbacks), Seth Lugo (Royals), Sandy Alcántara (Marlins), and more. At this point, the Cubs would be ready to consider any arm that shows the potential to deliver. They must bolster their bullpen because no matter how strong the offense is, cracks will soon start to show. And down the stretch, those cracks could cost them. It’s something they can avoid if they act now.
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