Cubs Sending Justin Steele For Second Opinion On Elbow Tendinitis

[edfunderburk]

The Cubs are sending Justin Steele for a second opinion on his elbow, manager Craig Counsell told reporters (including Alden González of ESPN and Maddie Lee of The Chicago Sun-Times). The southpaw landed on the 15-day injured list on Wednesday with elbow tendinitis, a surprising move that came two days after Steele fired seven shutout innings against Texas.

Steele told ESPN’s Jesse Rogers on Wednesday that he expected it to be a minimal 15-day stint. The Cubs sent him for an MRI on Thursday. Counsell did not specify the results of that imaging. To this point, there’s no indication it’s any more serious than the initial tendinitis diagnosis. It’s nevertheless of some concern any time a pitcher goes for multiple evaluations on an elbow problem.

Elbow tendinitis also sent Steele to the injured list for a couple weeks last September. Counsell indicated the recurring nature of the injury contributed to the decision to go for multiple opinions. “We want to make sure we know why it has happened again so Justin’s got all the information and then we can go from there,” the manager said.

Monday’s start was easily Steele’s best of the season. He’d allowed at least three runs in each of his first three appearances. Steele punched out eight against three hits and two walks against the Rangers. However, his fastball averaged a season-low 90.2 MPH in that start after sitting in the 91-92 range during his first three appearances. It clearly didn’t sap his effectiveness, but it was seemingly a sign that he wasn’t operating at full strength.

[Fear The Chorizo]

stay 500 miles away from giving that guy any sort of longterm contract...that elbow is probably putting him on the shelf until middle of 2026.  He's somehow still in arbitration through the 2027 season, at which time he'll reach free agency heading into his age 32 season.

 

Checks notes, my God he's been in the Cubs organization for 11 years already (minor + major) and still needs to go through 3 more seasons counting this one before he's a free agent.

 

 

 

[Frisbee Slider]

I assume the reason for second opinion is because the first opinion was undesirable?

[young guns]

2 hours ago, Frisbee Slider said:

I assume the reason for second opinion is because the first opinion was undesirable?

My read was that they are concerned about there being something worse since he had the issue last September as well.  Is it just reoccurring tendinitis or is it a symptom of something worse that can get fixed easily now before it blows up his elbow.

[edfunderburk]

2 hours ago, young guns said:

My read was that they are concerned about there being something worse since he had the issue last September as well.

This is similar to Cortes & the Brewers … with Cortes getting an injection into his elbow last week. Leads me to believe (like Steele) there may be a more significant issue. 

Both players may be headed for surgery. 

[Jopal78]

6 hours ago, Frisbee Slider said:

I assume the reason for second opinion is because the first opinion was undesirable?

Or perhaps the team doctors who read the first scan had inconclusive opinions about what they saw and they want a specialist to look at it for more decisive opinions 

[HarryDoyle]

Steele officially done for 2025.

[edfunderburk]

 

[Fear The Chorizo]

On 4/12/2025 at 1:45 PM, Jopal78 said:

Or perhaps the team doctors who read the first scan had inconclusive opinions about what they saw and they want a specialist to look at it for more decisive opinions 

Pretty decisive 2nd opinion after what was probably an initial undesirable one.

Stinks for Steele, as this likely costs him any shot at a mega contract after spending the max number of seasons in the minors and then also in the majors under team control, but then again he's never, ever been able to establish himself as a workhorse starter who would deserve crazy pitching money.