It’s just brutal timing. Just when the Cubs were starting to find their identity—solid pitching, timely hitting, and playing with that gritty edge, and boom—one of their aces went down. That kind of thing can shake a clubhouse, especially when the player is someone like Justin Steel!

With a 10–7 record and sitting on top of the NL Central, the Cubs had the ideal momentum this season. But the latest update about Steele is the worst that they could ever imagine. Steele’s not just any arm—he’s a tone-setter. He is the guy who gives a chance to win every fifth day. It’s tough to replace that, not just the stats, but the presence, too.

But now, it’s official: Justin Steele will undergo reconstructive elbow surgery this week and miss the remainder of the 2025 season. Reportedly, the procedure will address issues with his flexor tendon and ulnar collateral ligament (UCL).​ While it will be his second Tommy John surgery (first one in 2017), it is still not clear whether he will need a TJ revision with internal bracing or another full ligament replacement. According to Craig Counsell, the specific nature of the treatment will be decided at the moment only.

“It’s unclear if it’s a full Tommy John or primary repair. Regardless, his season is over,“ MLB insider Jeff Passan reported on X.

Imagine a top-ranked team now heading into the season without their top guy! Well, a 3–1 record and solid WHIP (1.15) show he was doing his job—even if the ERA (4.76) was a little inflated early on, with quality starts, he was helping the Cubs be in the games. Take a moment and think about his two-hitter pitching against the Angels? He threw 95 pitches, striking out seven and walking two, leading the Cubs to a 5-1 victory. But it now looks like everything is going for a toss.

Remember Steele’s injury-ridden last year? In 2024, the setback started on the opening day when he suffered a left hamstring strain. Later in the season, Steele experienced left elbow tendinitis, leading the Cubs to place him on the injured list. These injuries interrupted what was shaping up to be a career year for Steele, who had earned All-Star honors and finished fifth in NL Cy Young voting in 2023.

And now, the same old story continues.

So, what’s coming up for the team? Think guys like Shota Imanaga or Jameson Taillon can step up? Or they’ll have to go hunting for reinforcements sooner? Expectedly, the front office is surely going to try and patch the hole with someone in-house. For the Cubs, it’s deja vu in the worst way!

The Cubs are scrambling for replacements

It now looks like the Cubs are going into full next-man-up mode. Manager Craig Counsell confirmed that Colin Rea will step into Steele’s rotation spot for the time being. While Rea is more of a back-end innings-eater, he’s shown flashes of being serviceable when called upon. However, the big question is how long he can hold that spot down. His 1.00 ERA and 7 SOs might not be enough to fill the shoes of Steele.

However, we cannot ignore his performance against the Dogdres this Sunday. Over 3.2 innings, he struck out five while allowing a run on four hits and one walk. He filled in for Steele and delivered. His 68-pitch outings saw him throw 42 strikes and generate 9 whiffs. And Chicago went home with a 4-2 victory against LA.

And so, the team is heavily relying on Colin Rea to start against the Diamondbacks at home next weekend.

Meanwhile, Javier Assad is on track to return soon—he’s set to begin a minor league rehab stint with Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday. Although he’s coming back from a left oblique strain, he can still make a strong case for the Cubs. And his performance will depend on the extent of his healthy and sound body. Assad showed some solid stuff last season—a versatile arm. Moreover, he can give the team bulk innings and knows how to pitch in big spots.

It sounds like the Cubs are going to patchwork the rotation for now. But in a worst-case scenario, the pressure could mount for the Cubs owner, Jed Hoyer, to make a move, especially if they want to stay in the hunt in the very competitive NL Central.

Do you think this rotation’s gonna need outside help sooner?