Justin Steele expects to pitch again for the Cubs in 2024.

That’s the main point, so let’s get that out of the way first.

The Cubs ace was initially supposed to start Tuesday night’s game against the Pirates but was scratched Monday night due to elbow soreness. Kyle Hendricks took Steele’s place in the rotation.

Steele said this is something he has been dealing with and managing for a while and can’t pinpoint an exact date or time where it began.

He threw a bullpen in Washington over the weekend and Cubs pitching coach Tommy Hottovy could tell Steele was working through it. So the team opted to scratch him from Tuesday’s start and he went and got imaging on his left arm.

“We just made a decision – been battling it and it was kind of, go ahead and figure out what it was,” Steele said Tuesday afternoon. “But from everybody’s understanding is good news this morning.”

[WATCH: Justin Steele provides an update on his elbow injury]

Steele said he still feels tightness in his arm but the imaging showed “no severe damage or anything like that.”

The team is still formulating a plan of action for Steele but for now, he will get a second opinion on his ailing elbow.

“I think we’re probably halfway through getting all the information,” manager Craig Counsell said. “But so far, so good. And just the way Justin feels, I think we’re still in a pretty good place.

“… He has symptoms. They’re not bad symptoms but enough to prevent him from pitching [Tuesday] night. He’s hopeful to play catch [Wednesday] and that’ll tell us something as well.”

The Cubs have not yet made a determination whether Steele will land on the 15-day IL but that decision may come Wednesday.

If Steele feels like he can take the mound again this weekend or early next week, it would make sense to keep him off the IL. But if he’s going to be out longer than that, the Cubs won’t want to be playing a man down on their pitching staff during the midst of a playoff chase.

Less than four weeks remain in the 2024 regular season but even with an IL stint, Steele said he expects to pitch again this season.

“I want to be able to go out there and pitch and not feel anything,” he said. “Obviously we’re in a tight situation with playoffs and stuff so I want to get back on the mound as soon as possible.”

Steele had Tommy John surgery on his elbow back in 2017 when he was a minor leaguer and he missed time last summer with a forearm injury.

The 29-year-old southpaw was on the IL for a month earlier this year with a hamstring injury but he has been his usual self on the mound since returning.

After finishing 5th in National League Cy Young voting last season, Steele is right in line with those numbers this year. In 22 outings, he has posted a 3.09 ERA and 1.09 WHIP with 131 strikeouts in 128 innings.

With Hendricks taking Steele’s spot Tuesday and Jordan Wicks making his return from the IL Sunday, the Cubs have 5 starters in their rotation without Steele.