Justin Steele is rejoining the Cubs rotation.

Manager Craig Counsell announced Tuesday that the lefty will come off the 15-day IL and start Wednesday’s series finale against the A’s.

Steele has been on the IL since Sept. 1, when his start was skipped with what was later diagnosed as left elbow tendinitis. He and the Cubs were always optimistic that he would pitch again this season, especially if he was healthy, regardless of the Cubs’ outlook in the standings.

“If he’s healthy, he’s gonna pitch,” Counsell said on Monday. “And all signs point to him being healthy.”

Entering Tuesday, they sit 5 games back of the Mets for the final NL Wild Card spot with a 0.2% chance of making the playoffs, per FanGraphs.

Steele’s insertion to the rotation will move every starter back a day, Counsell said, meaning the Cubs will be going with a 6-man rotation for the foreseeable future.

He’s been a steady force in the rotation for the Cubs this year, posting a 3.09 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in 22 starts (128 innings). But he missed time at the start of the year with a hamstring injury he suffered on Opening Day and then this latest stint with his elbow. Having Steele pitch — and be healthy — to end the year will be a positive development for him and the team.

On Tuesday, the team also recalled righty reliever Daniel Palencia from Triple-A Iowa and optioned right-handed pitcher Trey Wingenter. Palencia has pitched to a 2.70 ERA in 5 outings in September since being optioned. He has pitched 4 straight scoreless outings and struck out 8 in 4.1 innings for the I-Cubs.

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The Cubs could have even more pitching help on the horizon, too.

Hayden Wesneski (right forearm strain), Julian Merryweather (right knee tendinitis) and Colten Brewer (left hand fracture) are all available to pitch for Iowa on Tuesday. Jorge López pitched for Iowa on Sunday, threw a bullpen in Chicago on Monday and is nearing a return, too.

“He pitched [Sunday], so expect activation in the next couple [of] days,” Counsell said of López on Monday.

While the playoffs seem like a longshot, there’s still value in pitching near the end of the season, especially in the cases of Wesneski and Merryweather. Both have missed significant time with injury this season, so there’s a mental component to returning to the field healthy and pitching to end the year.

For López, pitching at the end of the season and with results will help him as he hits the free agent market this offseason.