Jed Hoyer facing brutal trade deadline reality after Justin Steele injury setback

Justin Steele's injury setback could force Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer into a corner at this year's trade deadline. With Steele shut down from throwing, awaiting an evaluation next month, it's safe to say that the Cubs will be fortunate to get any innings from him this year as he struggles to return from last year's surgery. And with Cade Horton done for the year (and probably most of next year) after receiving elbow surgery of his own, Hoyer may have to break out of his comfort zone to acquire a starting pitcher. But it won't be easy.

The Cubs aren't in the best position to bargain given the current state of their farm system, and starting pitching comes at a high price. Chicago had to part with their No. 1 prospect when they nabbed Edward Cabrera from the Marlins in the offseason. Even though sending Owen Caissie away was a tough pill to swallow, it was the type of move that fans were clamoring for at last year's trade deadline.

But Hoyer balked at making a big splash last year and claimed the prices were not worth the return. And that decision came back to bite the Cubs in the playoffs when the team lost Horton to injury and Shota Imanaga struggled with an 8.10 ERA. If Hoyer pushed his chips in and made a big move for a starter, a deeper playoff run would have been more likely.

Will Jed Hoyer make the same mistake twice?

Even though the Cubs' farm system has regressed significantly over the last year, Hoyer shouldn't be afraid of draining it more. The 2026 team is Hoyer's most talented roster to date, and stopping short of gambling on a big trade to increase his chances of a deep playoff run would be a mistake.

Especially with the ridiculous rate of pitching injuries that have decimated the team in the first month of the season. The Cubs have already seen six pitchers from their Opening Day roster hit the injured list this year. Several of Chicago's main depth pieces in Triple-A - like Jordan Wicks, Riley Martin, and Jaxon Wiggins - have missed time as well.

If Hoyer just banks on his starters staying healthy like he did last year, we could be in for another early playoff exit. There should be several younger starters available this year to bolster the team in the final months if Hoyer commits enough prospect capital.

While his farm system ranks in the bottom third of the league, there are several infield prospects like James Triantos, Pedro Ramirez and Jefferson Rojas who are blocked at the big-league level. With Nico Hoerner and Dansby Swanson locked in for several years, and Matt Shaw's success as a Swiss Army Knife, Hoyer should not be afraid to part with some of those prospects in a potential blockbuster trade. The playoff window is open now, Jed. Please take advantage of it.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow