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2026 Fantasy Baseball Player Profile

Justin Steele’s 2025 season was cut short before it could truly begin, as the Cubs' ace was sidelined after just four starts. Following a 2024 campaign where he posted a 3.07 ERA, Steele’s elbow issues culminated in a left UCL revision surgery in mid-April 2025. While he managed a 3-1 record and a 4.76 ERA in his limited 22.2 innings, his underlying metrics remained steady, including a 1.15 WHIP and a healthy 8.3 K/9. The decision to opt for surgery early in the year was a strategic move aimed at ensuring he would be fully recovered for a significant portion of the 2026 season.

Entering 2026, Steele is the most anticipated "addition" to a Cubs rotation that has been heavily reinforced this winter. Having avoided arbitration with a one-year, $6.775 million deal in January, Steele is currently in the late stages of his rehab in Arizona. As of late February, he has progressed to 35-pitch bullpen sessions and reported that he is "moving and grooving" ahead of schedule. While manager Craig Counsell has already ruled him out for Opening Day, the optimistic timeline has him returning to the big league mound in late May or June.