Cubs' flurry of moves reveals Opening Day roster and Justin Steele timeline

We're just over 24 hours from the Chicago Cubs squaring off against the Washington Nationals at Wrigley Field to kick off the 2026 regular season. And, right on cue, we got our final roster moves and maneuverings from the team - headlined by a 60-day IL stint for left-hander Justin Steele.

Steele, who continues to progress in his recovery from left elbow surgery, won't make his 2026 debut until late May, at the earliest, but that's always been the plan. As encouraging as his rehab updates this spring have been, the Cubs were never going to rush him back into action - especially considering the rotation depth they're heading into the season with.

When he makes his return, it could wind up being the equivalent of a major in-season trade acquisition. He'll be watched closely in terms of workload, but his return to the mound will be a welcome sight.

Cubs do the right thing, taking their time with Justin Steele, Seiya Suzuki

As expected, Seiya Suzuki was placed on the 10-day IL (retroactive to 3/22) with a right knee sprain, and Porter Hodge and Jordan Wicks both hit the 15-day IL (retroactive to 3/22) with a right elbow strain and left forearm inflammation, respectively. Again, nothing to panic about here. Suzuki continues to trend in the right direction and, given how important he is to the Cubs in 2026, you'd rather they slow-play things now and have him miss a couple of weeks than risk things snowballing and him missing significant time.

The Cubs rounded out their Opening Day roster (officially), selecting the contracts of Michael Conforto and Scott Kingery. Conforto was a late addition this spring, but he looked great in Cactus League action, slashing .342/.375/.553 in 13 games. Kingery gives Chicago more infield depth, especially with Matt Shaw moving between the infield and outfield in his new role.

Last, but certainly not least, the Cubs designated right-hander Jack Neely for assignment. The big right-hander struggled with control issues and could never seem to sort them out. I suspect he'll end up on waivers in the coming days. Here's to hoping he can figure things out and get back on track, given he's still just 25 years old.