Latest Justin Steele update will have Cubs fans ready to run through a wall

It wasn't the only reason the Chicago Cubs fell short of beating the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLDS, but a battered and bruised rotation certainly didn't help matters.

The front office has taken that to heart this winter, aggressively adding pitching depth in all forms to ensure a winner-take-all Game 5 bullpen game never has to happen again.

First, Shota Imanaga returned via the qualifying offer. Then, there was the Edward Cabrera trade. Add in a bunch of minor-league signings — plus a rebuilt-from-the-ground-up bullpen — and it's clear that the Cubs' starting five (Cabrera, Imanaga Cade Horton, Matthew Boyd, and Jameson Taillon) will be well supported in 2026. And all of that fails to mention the other major-league depth on the roster, including Javier Assad, Colin Rea, Jordan Wicks, and Ben Brown.

But I've saved the best for last. After a long recovery from elbow surgery, erstwhile ace Justin Steele sounds ready for his comeback tour.

Justin Steele says he's ahead of schedule, prepares Cubs fans for innings limit in 2026

Speaking to Marquee Sports Network’s Elise Menaker, Steele provided as many updates as he could about his rehab process. I've compiled the major points below.

1. The veteran left-hander claims he's ahead of schedule in his recovery process. As a reminder, his surgery was classified as a "UCL revision", not Tommy John, which may allow him to return to major-league action less than 12 months after the initial procedure.
2. Speaking of, Steele said he expects to pitch during spring training "at some point." Earlier in the offseason, Craig Counsell shut down rumors about a potential return to the Opening Day rotation for the southpaw, but it's reassuring to hear that the 30-year-old expects to face live competition at some point before the regular season begins.
3. Steele did confirm that he expects to be put on an innings limit for the whole season, as well as a pitch count in his first few starts back on the mound. That's all standard fare for an injury of this magnitude, though it could force the Cubs into an awkward position in the middle of the season if they want to save some of Steele's bullets for the postseason.

Though he almost certainly won't immediately return to being the pitcher who recorded a 3.10 ERA and 3.14 FIP across 427 innings from 2022-24, Steele will bring some frontline-starter upside to the rotation whenever he returns. Having already agreed to an arbitration-avoiding contract for the 2026 season, the next step for the veteran southpaw is to slowly ramp back up to a starter's workload, beginning when pitchers and catchers report on Feb. 11.