Cubs’ Jed Hoyer drops honest admission amid Justin Steele’s injury recovery

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Justin Steele is continuing to recover from a forearm strain. While there is no specific timeline for his return, the Cubs would obviously love to have him back in the rotation at some point this season. Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer shared an update on Steele on Tuesday, via Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune.

“We’re hopeful to get him back,” Hoyer said. “Obviously there comes a point which you run out of days but I don’t think we’re there yet and I know Justin wants to come back more than anything… Our hope is that we can get him back by the end of the year and really help us.”

Steele would love to return this season, but as mentioned it remains to be seen if that will happen. Pitching injuries have been a concern for Chicago throughout the 2026 campaign. The ball club features enough talent to compete, but they may need to trade for a pitcher or two ahead of the deadline given all of the injuries.

Steele, 30, last pitched in an MLB game in 2025. He only made four appearances, though. The southpaw turned in a 3.07 ERA across 24 outings in 2024. In 2023, Steele made the All-Star team and finished the season with a 3.06 ERA in his 30 outings on the mound.

Overall, the Cubs are 29-25 and in third place in the National League East standings. They have struggled in recent action and are trying to get back on track as soon as possible.

As for Steele, updates on his injury status will continue to be monitored and provided as they are made available.

The post Cubs’ Jed Hoyer drops honest admission amid Justin Steele’s injury recovery appeared first on ClutchPoints.