How Cubs, president Jed Hoyer are adjusting to loss of left-hander Justin Steele for season (2025)

SAN DIEGO — Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer acknowledged that with left-hander Justin Steele undergoing season-ending elbow surgery, he’s going to be making calls to potential trade partners.

‘‘We’re going to be open, but it’s also April, and those things are unusual,’’ Hoyer said Tuesday. ‘‘So right now our biggest focus is internally, just making sure that guys are throwing well and that we can withstand that from within.’’

Hoyer has praised the Padres, who beat the Cubs 4-2 on Wednesday, for how they strengthened their team in-season in 2024 — at the trade deadline and in the months leading up to it. But the Padres added their big rotation piece, right-hander Dylan Cease, late in spring training, which is essentially an extension of the offseason.

The Cubs likely can find more depth, but starters who might be able to upgrade their rotation are rare. Landing one would, at the very least, require an aggressive offer.

‘‘That’s an element to it,’’ Hoyer said. “But it’s also, ‘Is there anyone actually, truly available?’ ’’

Teams with players expected to garner robust trade interest are incentivized to wait until closer to the deadline July 31, when more teams will be involved. More suitors mean more choices and more competitive offers.

Take the Marlins, for example. They’ve shown a willingness to execute trades early in the season. Look no further than last season, when they dealt infielder Luis Arraez to the Padres in early May. But The Athletic reported this week that they are putting off a decision about whether to trade ace Sandy Alcantara.

In addition to more generic considerations, Alcantara — the National League Cy Young Award winner in 2022 — is in his first season back from the Tommy John surgery he had in October 2023. He has a 4.70 ERA through his first three games. And though his history carries weight, a larger post-operation sample size might improve his midseason trade value.

So, at least for now, the Cubs will cover for Steele with pitchers in the organization.

‘‘On a personal level, [I’m] bummed out for him,’’ Hoyer said of Steele. ‘‘I know he worked so hard, and you get excited for a season. He makes four starts and goes down. I know he was really bummed about that. And as a team, we’re disappointed, of course. He’s one of our best starting pitchers and a fantastic teammate.

‘‘But in these moments you sort of have to [say]: ‘OK, this is why you build depth.’ ’’

Veteran right-hander Colin Rea, who began the season in the bullpen, started Sunday in place of Steele, limiting the Dodgers to one run in 3⅔ innings. He’s scheduled to start again Friday against the Diamondbacks. The Cubs have three days off in the next eight, which might negate the need for a fifth starter the next turn through the rotation.

Right-hander Javier Assad, who began the season on the 15-day injured list with a strained left oblique, continues progressing toward a return. He pitched 3⅓ innings in his first rehab start Tuesday for Triple-A Iowa, and he’s scheduled to pitch again Sunday.

‘‘Kind of what you’d expect,’’ manager Craig Counsell said Wednesday. ‘‘He feels good. He got a little tired, maybe, but he’s healthy and needs to pitch. But all reports [are] really happy with how it went.’’

The Cubs also have left-hander Jordan Wicks at Triple-A. And though top pitching prospect Cade Horton isn’t expected to be the next man up, he’s on track to make his major-league debut this season.

‘‘You never know what’s going to happen,’’ pitching coach Tommy Hottovy said this week. ‘‘You never know whom you’re going to lose [or] when you’re going to lose them. So it’s been very rewarding for us the last couple of years of building that depth. And now we just have to figure out the pieces that make this all come together.’’