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Chicago Cubs bullpen main focus now for Maddon

The bullpen was front and center Thursday as the media met with Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon before the evening's series opener with the San Francisco Giants.

There were developments on several fronts:

• Former closer Hector Rondon will pitch in minor-league rehab games for Class AAA Iowa on Saturday and Monday. Rondon has been on the disabled list since Aug. 17 with a right-triceps strain.

• Setup man Pedro Strop has suffered a minor setback in his recovery from a meniscus tear in his left knee. While working out this week, Strop tweaked his right groin. He went on the DL Aug. 11 and was hoping for a four-week stay.

Now, it's looking more like Strop will be out a total of six weeks. That still would give Strop time to work in major-league games before the playoffs start.

• With rosters expanding Thursday, the Cubs activated right-handed reliever Joe Smith off the DL and selected the contract of right-hander Jake Buchanan from Iowa.

Smith had been out with a left-hamstring strain. The Cubs picked up Buchanan early this season after he was released by Houston.

The bullpen has been taxed lately, and Maddon used closer Aroldis Chapman three games in a row, Monday-Wednesday.

"We've got two fresh arms," Maddon said. "When you're winning often, you're going to use up a lot of good bullpen. That's what happens.

"When you're winning a lot of games, the guys you'd like to have in the game are going to get utilized probably a lot in a lot of close games, and, thus, they get tired. It's just part of the way this thing flows."

With Strop and Rondon out, Maddon has used relievers such as Justin Grimm and Carl Edwards Jr. more. Grimm has been good since a brief stint in the minor leagues, and Maddon said he doesn't want to overuse Edwards.

"The part that's difficult is to manage a bullpen every day, especially when you're winning," he said. "I shouldn't say that in a negative way.

"When you're winning, that's what you've got to be careful of because you're so greedy to win another game sometimes that you can overuse somebody, and you don't want to do that."

Lackey getting close:

Starting pitcher John Lackey threw his scheduled bullpen session Thursday from the main mound at Wrigley Field. Lackey has been on the disabled list since Aug. 15 with a right-shoulder strain. He's likely to be activated in time to start Sunday.

"It felt fine," he said. "I feel like I can pitch in a game. Obviously, you want to be in there trying to help the guys and pitch well. It's the kind of break I needed to get this shoulder thing fixed. Hopefully in the long run it will be something positive."

Not too many more:

The Cubs activated outfielder Chris Coghlan off the DL (bruised rib) Thursday and started him in left field. With September here, major-league teams can expand their active rosters from 25. The Cubs likely won't overcrowd things.

"Not a lot more," Joe Maddon said. "You could see a couple more."

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