The 2026 season hasn’t exactly gone the way Chicago Cubs pitcher Justin Steele would have liked. After missing almost the entire 2025 season, the lefty ace still hasn’t pitched in 2026 due to a flexor strain sustained during his rehabilitation from elbow surgery.
However, he did recently receive a nice pick-me-up from a young fan who wished him well in his recovery.
On Monday, Justin Steele shared a letter he received from Tommy Lynch, a young Chicago Cubs fan from Orland Park, Illinois.
“Be right back. Crying. Cubs fans are the absolute best,” Steele captioned his post on X, revealing the note.
In one of the pictures, the front of the card featured a hand-drawn “W” flag (every Cubs fan knows what that means) and a “Get well soon” message.
Inside the card, Lynch wrote, “Dear Justin Steele,
“I am NOT looking for an autograph. I wanted to write you a get well soon card. I have been a diehard Cubs fan since the moment I was born. I watch the Cubs all the time, and it is much more exciting when you are pitching. I can’t wait until the second half of the season when you are expected to return.
“Don’t push it too much to get back really soon or you might get injured again. I love watching you pitch, and you’re amazing! I don’t know if you believe in God, but I do, and I am praying for you.
“From, Tommy Lynch.”
Justin Steele is still on the road to recovery
The timing of the young Cubs fan’s note couldn’t be much better for Justin Steele. While Chicago has no set timetable for Steele’s return to the rotation, he resumed throwing on Monday for the first time since his recovery setback.
When healthy, Steele is one of the best starting pitchers on the Cubs’ roster. The last time he was fully healthy for an entire season, in 2023, he went 16-5 with a 3.06 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP and made the National League All-Star team. In 2024, when he pitched in just 24 games, he posted a 3.07 ERA and 1.10 WHIP while going 5-5.