Cubs offer a cautiously optimistic update on Justin Steele's injury

The wheels have kind of come off for the Chicago Cubs since losing Justin Steele last week. They're just 2-4 in the month of September and head into Sunday's finale against the New York Yankees at Wrigley Field still searching for their first run of the weekend.

With their postseason hopes very nearly a thing of the past, the attention here in the final weeks turns to 2025. Having a healthy Justin Steele at or near the top of the starting rotation is paramount, so the latest update on the southpaw might help us all take a collective sigh of relief.

There's a big difference between throwing a full bullpen or live BP and just playing catch, but at least there don't seem to be any negative consequences from Steele throwing. Elbow soreness is always a terrifying prognosis because there's such a wide spectrum of potential causes behind it. Steele hopes to return to the mound this month - and while we'll have to wait and see if that happens, this is a nice first step on the road to recovery.

After his season began in an inauspicious manner with a major hamstring injury on Opening Night, Steele returned with a vengeance, quickly shaking off the rust to show that his breakout 2023 performance was no fluke. In 22 starts, he's worked to a 3.09 ERA/3.14 FIP, striking out 131 batters in just 129 innings of work.

That's almost identical to what he did a year ago, when he finished fifth in NL Cy Young voting. There's a huge gap in his innings total year-over-year, but when he's been on the mound, he's been the guy again in 2024. And there's always that bulldog, Jon Lester-esque fire and grittiness he brings, something this team badly needed for long stretches this year.

The next step for Steele will be to get back on a mound with Tommy Hottovy and see how things shake out. A return before the end of the month remains possible, but with the team's quickly diminishing postseason dreams evaporating before our eyes, expect the Cubs to be cautious with Steele down the stretch.