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The Cubs tendered contracts to half their arbitration-eligible players before the deadline Friday, promising deals to left-hander Justin Steele and right-hander Javier Assad for 2026. They non-tendered catcher Reese McGuire and reliever Eli Morgan, making them free agents. All four decisions were predictable.
Steele and Assad both missed large chunks of last season due to injury, but they showed continued promise when they were on the mound.
Steele is on track to return from his April elbow surgery early next season. And when he does so, he’s expected to be a headlining member of the Cubs’ rotation.