Justin Steele DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Justin Steele (elbow) will undergo season-ending surgery, according to manager Craig Counsell. Steele was recently placed on the injured list due to elbow tendinitis. On Friday, Steele got a second opinion on his elbow injury, which is never a good sign. Now, Steele is done for the year, but it's unclear if he'll undergo Tommy John surgery. Fantasy managers in redraft formats can feel free to go ahead and look elsewhere for help. The assumption is that Colin Rea will remain in the starting rotation. Also, right-hander Javier Assad (forearm) figures to get a look in the rotation as well once he returns to the roster. This is a tough blow as Steele was coming off his best performance of the season with seven shutout innings before landing on the injured list. The Cubs might look to make a trade for a frontline starter if they remain in contention around the trade deadline.

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Justin Steele (elbow) underwent an MRI on Thursday that showed tendinitis in his left elbow. The same injury that sidelined Steele for a few weeks towards the end of last season. On Friday, Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Steele plans to seek a second opinion on his injured elbow. Fantasy managers don't need to hit the panic button yet, but there is certainly some concern here. If Steele misses significant time, Colin Rea or Javier Assad (forearm) figure to be the primary replacement options. For now, fantasy managers can stash Steele on their IL, but there should be more information on his status soon.

The Chicago Cubs have placed left-handed pitcher Justin Steele (elbow) on the 15-day injured list due to left elbow tendinitis. In a corresponding move, the Cubs promoted right-handed pitcher Ethan Roberts from Triple-A Iowa. Steele enjoyed his best outing of the season on Monday evening against the Texas Rangers and did not show any signs of an injury. In this outing, the southpaw tossed seven shutout innings. He struck out eight and allowed just three hits and two walks. In his first three starts, Steele held a modest 6.89 ERA with a 1.34 WHIP across 15 2/3 innings of work. With Steele sidelined, fantasy managers should expect either Colin Rea or Brad Keller to shift from the bullpen into a starting role. In addition, top pitching prospect Cade Horton could also be in the mix if Steele has an extended absence. Rea and Keller would only be worth targeting in NL-only formats if they join the rotation.UPDATE: Steele thinks he'll spend the minimum time on the IL, for what it's worth.