LOS ANGELES — Cubs left-hander Justin Steele is scheduled to undergo season-ending elbow surgery on Friday, manager Craig Counsell announced Sunday, to repair his flexor tendon and address his compromised ulnar collateral ligament.
The team expects to have a better sense of Steele’s recovery timeline after the surgery. It will be unclear until then the degree to which Steele’s UCL needs to be reinforced, Counsell said, whether that be a full Tommy John surgery or a less extensive repair.
Dr. Keith Meister, who has made elbow reconstruction a specialty, is set to perform the procedure, according to the Cubs.
“He’s got a great attitude about it, as he always does, and knows that it’s kind of part of the career that he’s chosen,” said Counsell, who talked with Steele Sunday morning. “And just take it a step at a time and do the best he can to come back even better.”
Steele has had a series of elbow and forearm issues dating back to 2023. He also underwent Tommy John surgery in 2017 as a minor-leaguer.
