Cubs’ Justin Steele says recovery is progressing, but no timetable for his return

Cubs left-hander Justin Steele said he is making progress in his recovery from an injury to his pitching elbow that has sidelined him for more than a year, though he has no target date for his return.

Steele would love nothing more than to be back, though he is also mindful of the setback he suffered rehabbing in April.

“Obviously, I want to be back,” he said. “Front office, the pitching coaches, the team — everybody wants me back. But you don’t want to rush it to the point where you do get back into games and you’re one or two outings in and you start to feel the soreness starting to creep back in and then you’re kind of turn the clock back at that point.”

Steele said he is pain-free. He has been rehabbing at the team’s facility in Mesa, Arizona, and in Chicago during homestands. He played catch on Friday and plans to throw about 20 pitches off the mound on Saturday.

“Everything feels good,” he said. “Fastball, sinker, slider, curveball — everything’s there.”

An All-Star in 2023, Steele hasn’t pitched since he went seven innings in a win over Texas on April 7, 2025. He had season-ending surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow and appeared on track to return to the rotation perhaps in the first half this season. That changed when he suffered a flexor strain in late April, another blow for a pitching staff that’s been hit hard by injuries this season.

“He’s just starting to touch the mound,” manager Craig Counsell said. “He’s making progress. Everything’s going well.”

In other injury news, Counsell hoped Matt Shaw (sprained left hand) would hit Friday in Arizona. He said closer Daniel Palencia (right elbow inflammation) is scheduled to throw live batting practice on Saturday and will go on a rehab assignment before he returns from an injury that has kept him out since mid-June.

“There’s questions on Justin, still, because it’s been such a long time,” Counsell said. “Daniel’s coming back. He’s on his way back.”

The Cubs placed righty Gavin Hollowell on the 15-day injured list because of right-shoulder inflammation and recalled lefty Antoine Kelly from Triple-A Iowa.

The 26-year-old Kelly, a Maine Township East product, was acquired by the Cubs from the Los Angeles Dodgers in June. He previously pitched in Milwaukee’s system when Counsell managed the Brewers.

“He’s a talented arm,” Counsell said. “Throwing strikes has always been the key for Antoine. Some guys, it just takes a while for that to click. It’s gotten better in Iowa. … I’m so happy for a kid that’s had a pretty good journey in the minor leagues. A Chicago kid. I’m happy to be able to make his debut here.”