Brewers' division arch-rival gets huge offseason update on key 2026 rotation member

When one elite NL Central pitcher goes out, another must come in.

That may not be exactly how the old adage goes, but after Freddy Peralta was ultimately traded after a long offseason of posturing and speculation, the Chicago Cubs received some news on one of their best starting pitchers, Justin Steele.

The 30-year-old lefty made only four starts in 2025 before undergoing a UCL revision surgery (basically one step away from Tommy John), requiring an internal brace and keeping him out from mid-April onwards. The Cubs surely missed him in their NLDS loss to the Milwaukee Brewers, but according to Steele himself, they may not miss him for too much longer.

Cubs set to return Justin Steele early in 2026, spelling trouble for Brewers, rest of NL Central

There was never a firm timetable on Steele's return, but there were rumors that he'd miss a large chunk of the first half of the 2026 season. Now that he's quelled those rumors — he made it a point to say that he'll face live competition at some point in spring training during a recent interview with Elise Menaker of Marquee Sports Group — things are looking up for the Cubs' pitching staff.

The veteran southpaw recorded a 3.10 ERA and 3.14 FIP across 427 innings from 2022-24, and he's dominated the Brewers throughout his career to the tune of a 2.29 ERA and 86 strikeouts over 78 2/3 innings. If he's back to form, the Cubs will have a much scarier rotation led by Steele, Cade Horton, Edward Cabrera, and Matthew Boyd. Their depth, including Jameson Taillon and Shota Imanaga, is also impressive.

In conjunction with the Brewers losing Peralta, it feels like Milwaukee's long-held pitching advantage is teetering. Brandon Sproat was an excellent get by the front office (as was Jett Williams), but he's unlikely to immediately replace the erstwhile ace's production.

Still, it's not like the Crew are helpless when it comes to their starting five. Brandon Woodruff is a rock-solid veteran presence when healthy, and the youthful quintet of Sproat, Jacob Misiorowski, Chad Patrick, Quinn Priester, and Logan Henderson is bursting with potential and electric stuff. There will be ample growing pains without a surefire stopper leading the group, but the long-term potential is tantalizing.

Hopefully, Pat Murphy and company can find a way to bridge the perceived talent gap while the Brewers' young starters work through their development plans. Having a far superior bullpen will surely help in that regard.