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Stats

Justin Steele (elbow) starts throwing progression

Justin Steele

CHC Starting Pitcher #35

Player Stats

Justin Steele (elbow) has started a throwing progression.

It was Steele’s first throwing session since suffering a setback when he was diagnosed with a flexor strain in late April that delayed his throwing progression. The 30-year-old lefty is roughly 14 months removed from Tommy John surgery and figures to make it back to Chicago’s rotation mix at some point in the second half. There should be a clearer return timetable once he progresses to facing hitters and is close to embarking on a minor league rehab assignment. It seems unlikely he’ll make it back before August.

- George Bissell

Injury

Source: Jon Heyman

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Gray dominates Yankees on Sunday Night Baseball

June 29, 2026 02:45 PM

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Justin Steele

CHC Starting Pitcher #35

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Marquee Sports Network’s Bruce Levine reports that the Cubs “do not expect Justin Steele to be starting games this season.”

Levine mentions that Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said Steele could “help in the pen at some late summer point.” Steele is working back from elbow surgery and a setback he suffered earlier in May, so the team is clearly being cautious with him. While he may pitch innings for the Cubs later this summer, it no longer seems like he needs to be stashed in redraft fantasy leagues.
Justin Steele

CHC Starting Pitcher #35

Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Justin Steele (elbow) will not throw a ball for “multiple weeks” still and said it was “hard to put ... an accurate timetable” on his return.

While Cubs manager Counsell termed this as “good news,” it doesn’t sound like Steele has made much progress from April, when it was believed he would be out until after the All-Star break. At this point, his timeline might be closer to August. Fantasy managers in redraft leagues certainly don’t need to keep holding him at this rate.
Justin Steele

CHC Starting Pitcher #35

ESPN’s Jesse Rogers reports Justin Steele (elbow) has been shut down from throwing following a setback.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell told reporters Steele will be sidelined until after the All-Star break in July following the setback. The 30-year-old left-hander has been working his way back from last year’s Tommy John surgery and recently progressed to facing hitters in live batting practice sessions. He underwent imaging that didn’t reveal any structural damage, but has been diagnosed with a flexor strain, after experiencing discomfort while throwing over the weekend.
Justin Steele

CHC Starting Pitcher #35

Justin Steele (elbow) faced hitters on Saturday in a live batting practice session.

Steele continues to make gradual progress in his recovery from last season’s Tommy John surgery. He’s nearly a calendar year removed from the procedure at this juncture and should be ready for a minor league rehab assignment at some point later this month. He’s on track to return to Chicago’s rotation at some point in May or June, barring any setbacks.
Justin Steele

CHC Starting Pitcher #35

Cubs placed LHP Justin Steele on the 60-day injured list.

Steele has already progressed to facing hitters in live batting practice and should be cleared to head out on a minor league rehab assignment at some point in April. The 30-year-old southpaw underwent Tommy John surgery last April and is on track to return to Chicago’s rotation at some point in May or June.
Justin Steele

CHC Pitcher #35

Justin Steele (elbow) told reporters that his recovery from UCL surgery is on track and he’s targeting a return to the Cubs’ rotation in May or June.

Steele noted that he’s finished with his follow-up visits to Dr. Keith Meister who performed the operation and that he has been cleared to start throwing curveballs in his bullpen sessions. The 30-year-old southpaw wants to return by June so that he’s hitting his stride in October. He has found himself going just inside the top 400 picks in recent NFBC drafts, with the expectation that fantasy managers will get nothing from him for the first two months of the season.
Justin Steele

CHC Starting Pitcher #35

Justin Steele (elbow) threw off of a mound for the first time last week since undergoing UCL surgery.

Steele has been throwing since October, but this was the first time that he was able to get up on the mound and do so. Barring any setbacks, he remains on track to return at some point during the first half of the 2026 season.
Justin Steele

CHC Starting Pitcher #35

Cubs agreed to terms with LHP Justin Steele on a one-year, $6.775 million contract.

Steele gets only a very slight increase over his $6.55 million salary from 2025 after being limited to four starts last April. He’s due back from Tommy John in the first half of 2026, and he’ll remain under Cubs control in 2027 before becoming a free agent for the first time.
Justin Steele

CHC Starting Pitcher #35

Cubs manager Craig Counsell said at the Winter Meetings that Justin Steele (elbow) will likely return in the first half of next season.

Counsell elaborated that Steele won’t be ready for Opening Day but believes he’ll make it back to Chicago at some point in the first half. The 30-year-old southpaw made just four starts before undergoing season-ending UCL surgery, not a full Tommy John reconstructive procedure, in April. He was able to resume throwing in late October and figures to be ramping up his throwing program by the time spring training rolls around.
Justin Steele

CHC Starting Pitcher #35

Justin Steele, who had his UCL repaired in April, resumed throwing on Monday.

Steele, a 2023 All-Star, was limited to just four starts this year before needing his ligament fixed up. He probably won’t be ready for Opening Day, but since it wasn’t a full Tommy John, he should be ready to go at some point during the first half of 2026, maybe even the first couple of months.

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Byron Buxton

MIN Center Fielder #25
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Byron Buxton is day-to-day with a right hip impingement.

Twins manager Derek Shelton told reporters that Buxton underwent an MRI after sitting out Monday’s series opener against the Astros, which revealed the issue. The 32-year-old fantasy stalwart could still wind up on the injured list, but it sounds like he’ll attempt to play through it for now. There should be additional clarity on his status in the coming days.
- George Bissell

Injury

Source: Dan Hayes

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Seiya Suzuki

CHC Right Fielder #27
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Seiya Suzuki went 2-for-4 with a run scored, a double and two RBI against the Padres on Monday.

In a game tied 2-2, the Cubs started the bottom of the ninth with two singles before the Padres brought in Mason Miller. Alex Bregman singled to load the bases before a double play put the Padres an out away from forcing extra innings. Seiya Suzuki had other ideas as he hit a fly ball to left field that Jase Bowen couldn’t catch up against the ivy. Suzuki’s RBI single put the exclamation point on the Cubs’ walk-off win. He’s hitting.266 with a .799 OPS and 39 RBI this year.
- Nick Shlain

Recap

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Griffin Canning

SD Starting Pitcher #17
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Griffin Canning allowed two runs in 4 1/3 innings and got a no-decision against the Cubs on Monday.

Canning gave up five hits, walked two and struck out three. After he recorded just two outs in his last start, the Padres couldn’t have asked Canning for much more against the Cubs on Monday. He has a 7.09 ERA after all. Canning is lined up to face the Dodgers on the road this weekend. He can be safely ignored in fantasy leagues at this point in his career.
- Nick Shlain

Recap

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Shota Imanaga

CHC Starting Pitcher #18
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Shota Imanaga allowed two runs in 6 1/3 innings and got a no-decision in the Cubs’ 3-2 victory over the Padres on Monday.

Imanaga gave up nine hits, walked none and struck out four. The 32-year-old left-hander was pulled after getting the first out of the seventh inning and throwing 97 pitches. He’s earned the win in just one of his last nine starts. Imanaga’s ERA is 4.30. He’s lined up to face the Cardinals at home this weekend.
- Nick Shlain

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Tyler Glasnow

LAD Starting Pitcher #31
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Tyler Glasnow (back) has been cleared to start a throwing progression.

The Dodgers are going to take an extremely cautious approach with Glasnow’s ramp-up to avoid any potential setbacks. The 32-year-old will be out through next month’s All-Star break and appears unlikely to make it back until some point in August. He’s been out with a lingering back issue since early May.
- George Bissell

Injury

Source: Jack Harris

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Cam Smith

HOU Right Fielder #11
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Cam Smith went 2-for-4 with two solo home runs against the Twins on Monday.

Smith now has 11 homers on the season. He hit a solo shot off Zebby Matthews in the fifth inning and another solo shot off Yoendrys Gómez in the ninth inning. Smith now has four home runs in the last seven games. While his power is something to dream on, the 23-year-old outfielder is hitting just .222 with a .685 OPS and 32 RBI.
- Nick Shlain

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Yoendrys Gómez

MIN Relief Pitcher #94
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Yoendrys Gómez got the final out and the save against the Astros on Monday.

The Twins had a four-run lead entering the ninth inning, but by the time Gómez entered the game it was only a two-run lead. Gómez allowed a solo home run to Cam Smith before getting the final out and recording his ninth save. Gómez is the favorite for saves in Minnesota, though others are in the mix.
- Nick Shlain

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Peter Lambert

HOU Starting Pitcher #20
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Peter Lambert allowed four runs in 5 2/3 innings and took the loss against the Twins on Monday.

Lambert gave up five hits, walked three and struck out four. He fell to 6-5 with the loss. All four of the runs Lambert allowed came on home runs. Royce Lewis and Victor Caratini hit solo shots in the fourth inning before Josh Bell hit a two-run shot in the sixth inning. Lambert has a 3.51 ERA, but can struggle at times given the amount of fastballs he throws. He’s lined up to face the Nationals on the road next week.
- Nick Shlain

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Jeremy Peña

HOU Shortstop #3
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Astros manager Joe Espada told reporters Jeremy Peña is heading to the injured list with a left calf strain.

Espada added that it should be a minimum stint for Peña, who is headed back to the injured list for the second time this season, after an MRI showed a relatively mild calf strain that caused him to sit out Monday’s series opener against the Twins with leg discomfort. The 28-year-old shortstop has been on a tear at the plate recently, hitting .319 (29-for-91) with three homers, 13 RBI and five steals since the start of June. It’ll likely be defensive wizard Nick Allen handling the position in his absence.
- George Bissell

Injury

Source: Chandler Rome
Nick Allen
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Zebby Matthews

MIN Starting Pitcher #52
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Zebby Matthews allowed one run in seven innings and got the win in the Twins’ 5-4 victory over the Astros on Monday.

Matthews gave up four hits, walked one and struck out seven. He improved to 4-5 with the win. Matthews allowed a solo home run to Cam Smith in the fifth inning, but that was it for the Astros while he was in the game. The 26-year-old right-hander has a 4.15 ERA after an excellent start. He’s lined up to face the Yankees on the road this weekend.
- Nick Shlain

Recap

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