Cubs have Plan in Place for Steele’s Return and Make Trade for Additional Lefty Bat

The Cubs have a plan in place for Justin Steele’s return and it is becoming clearer as he progresses through his rehab. After facing live hitters for 3 innings on Friday at the team’s complex in Arizona, Steele will be moving on to the Triple-A level next week. Manager Craig Counsell confirmed that Steele will likely make his next start with Iowa on Wednesday, and there are no concerns about his progress.

The Cubs are working on building Steele back up to rejoin the big-league rotation, but they have not yet determined whether he will make one or multiple rehab outings with a minor league affiliate. Pitching coach Tommy Hottovy mentioned that the goal is to get Steele back on a 5-day rotation schedule, with the first step completed on Friday and the second step planned for Wednesday. If all goes according to plan, Steele could be ready to pitch on Monday, May 6.

On Saturday, the Cubs made a trade, sending veteran Garrett Cooper to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for cash considerations. Cooper had been designated for assignment earlier in the week to make room for Matt Mervis on the big-league roster. With Patrick Wisdom back from injury, the Cubs decided they were covered with right-handed hitters on the roster and were looking to add another lefty bat in Mervis.