Cubs avoid arbitration with Justin Steele while playing long game on return

The Chicago Cubs have avoided arbitration with Justin Steele. Steele missed a majority of the year after recovering from elbow surgery, but managed to get more than what was projected at the start of the season. The Athletic's Patrick Mooney reports that Steele will earn $6.775M in 2026.

Cubs send quiet message with how they handled Justin Steele

If nothing else, the agreement is one less thing for Steele to worry about as he works his way back. Throughout the offseason, he posted update videos, including several that show him throwing while at the Cubs' Spring Training Complex.

Steele was projected to earn $6.55M, so odds are that the Cubs bumped it up slightly to avoid the hearing. It shouldn't be an amount that deters Chicago from finding an impact bat in free agency. A path that is now more likely after the team traded for Edward Cabrera, who is under control for the next three years.

Steele was shut down after his fourth start of the 2025 season, and the early timeline is for the 30-year-old to return to the Cubs' rotation before the All-Star break. The Cubs have indicated that an Opening Day return is likely out of the question, but he remains a part of the team's calculation for their pitching staff next season.

Steele's recovery highlights one of the important takeaways from the trade for Cabrera. Cabrera is now part of an Opening Day rotation that will include Matthew Boyd, Cade Horton, Jameson Taillon, and Shota Imanaga. Also, having Colin Rea as a swingman in the bullpen and Javier Assad healthy, the Cubs don't have to rush Steele's timeline.

It will be curious to see what the plan is for the Cubs' rotation once Steele is healthy.

The obvious answer is Craig Counsell opting for a six-man rotation. Despite the high upside that Cabrera has, 2025 was the first time in his career that he pitched over 100 innings. It was a similar case for Cade Horton, who missed the playoff run due to a playoff run. Not to mention, Matthew Boyd also looked worn out by the time the regular season was coming to an end.

Injuries can never be predicted but the Cubs have the depth to preserve their rotation in a way they weren't able to accomplish last year.