The Chicago Cubs woke up to heartbreaking news this morning as ace Justin Steele stepped in front of reporters at Sloan Park, took a long breath, and shared the one thing he had been holding inside for months: his mother is fighting a serious illness, and his entire 2025 season will be a tribute to her strength, her sacrifice, and the love that shaped him.
Steele, normally calm and composed, spoke with a trembling voice as he revealed the emotional weight he has carried while maintaining his status as the Cubs’ most reliable arm. “Baseball has always been important,” he said, pausing as if searching for air. “But my mom… she’s the reason I ever picked up a baseball. This year, every pitch is for her.”
It was a confession that silenced the room, pulling back the curtain on one of MLB’s toughest competitors — and exposing the tender son behind the fastball.
According to team sources, Steele had spent the last several weeks traveling back and forth between Chicago and Mississippi, where his mother has been undergoing intensive treatment. Despite the emotional and physical toll, he refused to step away from the mound — not out of obligation, but out of devotion.
He described nights where he barely slept, mornings where he forced himself to lock in for bullpen sessions, and long phone calls with his mother reminding him why he plays the game.
“She told me, ‘Justin, don’t stop. Don’t let anything take this away from you,’” he said. “So I won’t. Not now. Not ever.”
Steele emphasized that this isn’t a season of distraction but a season of purpose — a season where love, family, and baseball are intertwined more deeply than ever.
Those close to Steele know this fight cuts deeply. His mother was the first to notice his talent, the first to drive him to tournaments at sunrise, the first to tell him that pressure is a privilege, not a burden. Her voice echoed behind every milestone of his career — from high school to the Minor Leagues to his emergence as the Cubs’ opening day ace.
Steele recalled the moment he told her about being named an All-Star for the first time.
“She cried harder than I did,” he smiled, even as his expression wavered. “She said, ‘I told you that you were meant for this.’ And now it’s my turn to show her she was right.”
Cubs teammates described Steele’s courage as “unbelievable” and “the definition of leadership.” Manager Craig Counsell said the clubhouse felt the weight of his announcement — and immediately embraced him.
“He’s pitching for something bigger than baseball,” Counsell said. “And the team is behind him, completely.”
In a rare move, several players proposed adding a small patch to team warm-ups representing Steele’s mother — a gesture the organization is currently reviewing.
Within minutes of Steele’s announcement, Cubs social media erupted in support. Fans posted messages of hope, photos of Steele signing autographs for children battling illnesses, and stories about how his determination inspired them during personal hardships.
Wrigley Field has seen countless emotional moments, but few have resonated like this — a son fighting for his mother, a pitcher using every ounce of strength to honor the woman who shaped him.
Steele made one thing clear: he will not use this moment to seek sympathy. He will use it to fuel greatness.
“This season is hers,” he said. “Every inning. Every battle. Every strikeout. I want her to feel it — to know she’s right there with me on the mound.”
As he walked away from the microphone, head lowered, hands clenched, it was clear that Justin Steele is not just pitching to win games.
He is pitching to say thank you… while he still can.
And for the Cubs — for baseball — this may become the most powerful storyline of the entire year.
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