Cubs get hopeful Justin Steele update with playoff clock becoming impossible to ignore

At long last, Justin Steele is starting a minor-league rehab assignment. Marquee Sports Network's Taylor McGregor confirmed that Steele's rehab assignment will start on Wednesday with an appearance for the Iowa Cubs. Regardless of what happens next, the fact that Steele is pitching in a game action will be considered a success for the Chicago Cubs.

For Steele, it will mark the first time he's pitched in a professional game since April 7 of last year. Of course, since then, he underwent UCL surgery and experienced a flexor strain earlier this year that led to setback from his original timeline.

As for what happens next, as suggested during the latest episode of the Cubbies Crib podcast, it's hard to imagine Steele taking up a role of consequence in the bullpen in the immediate future. As has been the case with Shelby Miller, who may have experienced a setback of his own over the weekend, the Cubs won't cut corners in Steele's rehab assignment.

Cubs reveal promising Justin Steele progress but playoff timing remains biggest obstacle

The blueprint for Steele's rehab assignment could be similar to the one the Cubs used for Miller. Miller started his rehab assignment on August 9, and for the first three weeks, was pitching an inning per appearances with a few days off in-between. Miller was expected to pitch on back-to-back games over the weekend, but he hasn't pitched since Friday.

Assuming Steele has a similar timeline, that would take him up to the final week of the regular season before he's ready to pitch in back-to-back games. It's worth noting that the final game of the I-Cubs season is on September 20. That is the earliest to even consider the possibility of Steele joining the Cubs bullpen, but even then, there would be context needed.

That's around the time the Cubs will be mapping out their playoff roster, and timing may not be on Steele's side. If the Cubs reach the end of regular season and Steele is in the early stages of pitching on back-to-back games, it's hard to imagine him being a feasible option for the playoff roster.

Circumstances would be different if Steele had the chance to return as a starting pitcher ahead of the playoffs, but the Cubs have already confirmed that a bullpen role would be his first path back. That is why there's importance to his ability to pitch in back-to-back games. If he wants to be on the playoff roster, he's going to need to prove capable of doing so. Which leads to a larger question, if the goal is to make sure Steele is ready to go in 2027 with no restrictions, the Cubs may not have a tunnel vision on Steele being a contributor during this year's playoff run.

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