Cubs finally have Justin Steele nearing return but postseason clock is working against them

Justin Steele completed his minor-league rehab assignment with the Iowa Cubs over the weekend, and with one week remaining in the regular season, the Chicago Cubs are set to make a decision regarding his status on Tuesday.

Steele will be with the Cubs on Tuesday, and will presumably remain with the team for the rest of the week. No final decisions have been made on Steele's status, but reading the tea leaves from Craig Counsell's comments over the weekend, the indication may be that the veteran pitcher won't factor into the team's plans for the playoffs.

As was the case for Shelby Miller last week, who the Cubs shut down while citing the importance of him being healthy for the start of the 2027 season, a similar rule of thumb could be applied to Steele. It's worth noting that if Steele were to have a role on the Cubs' playoff roster, it would be in the bullpen. Along those lines, the Cubs will need options capable of pitching on back-to-back days. Right now, that isn't where Steele is in his recovery.

Justin Steele's limited capabilities point to an obvious decision for the Cubs before the playoffs

Steele started his minor-league rehab assignment on September 2, and has rougly gone a week between appearances. Some of that was due to weather, but the larger point is that during a playoff series, Steele would likely be limited to just one appearance. In other words, he's not positioned to be a difference-maker for the Cubs in October, which is why it feels likely that he will be shut down, with the focus shifting to him having a healthy offseason and ready to return to the starting rotation next season.

Even if Steele doesn't pitch again this season, the encouraging sign was how he looked during his outing for the I-Cubs over the weekend. He tossed two no-hit innings while striking out five of the seven hitters he faced. His fastball velocity was back above 90 MPH, and his slider had the movement that Cubs fans have grown used to seeing.

Again, it needs to be stressed that Steele's health for the start of the 2027 season is more important than the inning or two he could pitch for the Cubs during their entire playoff run. It's that logic that frustrates Cubs fans, but often is why the decision-makers are in the positions they hold with a baseball front office.

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