BREAKING: Justin Steele to undergo season-ending reconstructive elbow surgery

In a massive blow to the Chicago Cubs’ season aspirations, they’ll be forced to go the rest of the way in 2025 without ace Justin Steele.

Steele, 29, will require season-ending reconstructive elbow surgery on his left arm, per manager Craig Counsell. It is unclear whether the operation will be Tommy John or primary repair, which is less invasive.

The news comes after the club added Steele to the 15-day injured list on Wednesday due to left elbow tendinitis. At the time, Steele had not received an MRI.

Shortly after the club received the results of the MRI, news broke that the club would be seeking a second opinion.

Steele told reporters on Wednesday that his arm began tightening up in the fourth or fifth inning of his last season, which produced seven scoreless innings last Monday night in frigid temps at Wrigley Field.

The Cubs’ ace compared the injury to what he had dealt with and seemingly had recovered from when he missed time last September. It’s the third time in the last year that Steele has dealt with an elbow issue.

He came into the stadium on Tuesday to run through his normal recovery routine but still felt abnormal soreness and tightness, leading to the club’s decision to shut him down.

“We’re going to take the conservative route,” Counsell told reporters on Wednesday. “He had symptoms of an injury he experienced last year, and for that reason, rather than having him focus on his next start, I think it’s best we back off that and make sure he recovers in a really good place. We’re hoping it’s the minimum, and he can be ready to go in a couple of weeks.”

Instead, the hunt to add an elite arm to bolster the rotation becomes an effort to plug a massive wound for the Cubs in April.

After a rough beginning to the season — 6.89 ERA over his first three outings — Steele seemed to finally find a rhythm in his fourth and final start of the year, striking out eight and allowing just three hits in seven innings.

Now, the conversation turns toward the Cubs treading water well enough until the team can either add a top-tier starting pitcher like Sandy Alcantara from the Miami Marlins or elevate top pitching prospect Cade Horton from AAA-Iowa.

Colin Rea, who started 49 games over the last two seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers, will take Steele’s place in the rotation for the time being, drawing the rubber match against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday Night Baseball later tonight.