Justin Steele shares handwritten get-well-soon note from young Cubs fan as rehab continues

The Chicago Cubs’ Justin Steele offered a rare soft moment during an otherwise difficult stretch of rehab. On Monday, the left-hander posted to social media with the caption, “Be right back. Crying. Cubs fans are the absolute best,” along with two photos of a handwritten get-well-soon letter he received.

According to the photos and message Steele shared, the card was written by a young Cubs fan, Tommy Lynch of Orland Park, Illinois. The note carried a simple front message, “Get well soon,” and included a hand-drawn W flag, a small detail that resonated with Steele in the middle of his recovery. Inside, Lynch wrote that he was not seeking an autograph, but wanted to help his favorite player get back on the mound.

Lynch said he has been a Cubs fan “since the moment I was born,” and wrote that he watches the Cubs often, adding that it is “much more exciting when you are pitching.” He also mixed encouragement with caution, telling Steele not to rush back “really soon” because he might “get injured again.” In the same letter, Lynch said he does not know if Steele believes in God, but that he is praying for him.

For Steele, the posting functions as both personal update and public-facing reminder of the rehab timeline that has shaped his past year. MLB reported that Steele’s elbow surgery ended his 2025 season, and he has been working his way back since then. While the letter itself is not about baseball mechanics, it underscores how recovery can stretch beyond the training room, with fans following the process in real time.

Steele’s return picture, as MLB described it, remains cautious. The league report said he still has a chance to come back to the Cubs this season, but that after setbacks, any return would likely come in short stints as a reliever rather than as a starter. That distinction matters because it frames what the organization might expect from him when he does return, and how his workload could be managed through the remainder of the summer.

The Cubs’ rotation and bullpen usage are often intertwined this time of year, especially when health creates uncertainty. A potential Steele bullpen role would not replace depth by itself, but it could add a left-handed look with starter experience, which is often valuable late in games when matchups tighten and teams lean on specific arms.

What to watch next is how Steele progresses through rehab steps toward pitching, and whether the organization treats any return as a test run for longer-term availability. For now, the larger takeaway is that, even in the midst of medical recovery, the Cubs’ fanbase is still showing up for one of its own.

For Steele and for Chicago, the letter is also a reminder of how the sport’s meaning reaches beyond results. In Lynch’s message, the goal was simple, see him back pitching, but not at the expense of safety. In a season where timelines matter, that kind of patience is the exact mindset a pitcher, and a team, must carry during rehab.