The Chicago Cubs were dealt some bad news on Wednesday morning. Justin Steele, a 2023 All-Star and former Cy Young candidate, is heading to the 15-day IL with "elbow tendinitis," according to an official team announcement.
Steele was Chicago's stateside Opening Day starter. He pitched his best game of the season mere days ago, recording seven scoreless innings against the Texas Rangers while allowing three hits and K'ing eight.
His average fastball velocity plummeted to 90.2 MPH in that game, however, tied for the lowest mark of his career, per MLB Trade Rumors. Steele was otherwise slow out of the gate this season. Through four starts, he has a 4.76 ERA and 1.15 WHIP, striking out 21 across 22.2 innings.
Justin Steele hits 15-day IL in injury setback the Cubs can scarcely afford
Chicago's lack of rotation depth has been a talking point since the offseason began. Jed Hoyer did very little to build out the bullpen around his star aces, Steele and Shota Imanaga. Now, with Steele on ice, the Cubs will need to scavenge for a viable replacement.
Right-hander Ethan Roberts has been recalled from Triple-A Iowa to occupy Steele's roster spot. Roberts appeared in 21 games for the Cubs last season, all out of the bullpen. He finished with a 3.71 ERA and 1.54 WHIP, K'ing 26 in 26.1 innings.
Colin Rea will presumably step into Steele's rotation spot for the time being, while Triple-A ace Jordan Wicks offers plenty of MLB experience. The Cubs are also expected to get Javier Assad back later this month, a much-needed boon for a rotation in peril.
Rea has pitched 5.1 scoreless innings across three appearances so far this season. He made 27 starts across 32 appearances for the Milwaukee Brewers last season, finishing with a 4.29 ERA and 1.26 WHIP. The righty doesn't pack high-voltage velocity, but he limits walks and tends to keep the ball on the ground on his better days. He relies primarily on a sinker, fastball, and cutter.
Historically, Steele fights hard to return from injuries in a timely manner, but his durability continues to waver. He has only achieved 170-plus innings once in five MLB seasons. The severity of this injury is as of yet unclear, but if it lingers, Jed Hoyer and the Cubs front office will need to consider meaningful change. The Cubs' bullpen is not built to prop up a mediocre rotation, so matter what magic Craig Counsell conjures on the matchup front.