Cubs' Rondon could be activated by Monday
It looks like the Cubs will get relief pitcher and erstwhile closer Hector Rondon back a day or two earlier than originally thought.
Rondon was supposed to begin a minor-league rehab assignment Saturday at Class AAA Iowa and pitch again Monday for Iowa.
As it turned out, Rondon threw a 22-pitch simulated game Saturday at Wrigley Field. The Cubs will check him out Sunday, and if all is well, he could be activated for Monday's series opener at Milwaukee. Rondon has been on the disabled list since Aug. 17 with a strained right triceps.
"I feel really good," he said. "I'm back to normal right now. My command is really good. I'm going to be the same if I go there or throw here."
An august month:
The Cubs' Kris Bryant and Kyle Hendricks were named the National League's player and pitcher of the month, respectively.
Bryant compiled a hitting line in August of .383/.472/.748 with 10 homers and 22 RBI. Hendricks was 4-0 with a 1.28 ERA for the month. Opposing batters hit .179 against Hendricks in August.
Joe Nathan is back:
The Giants purchased the contract of veteran reliever Joe Nathan from Class AA Richmond Saturday and added him to their bullpen.
The 41-year-old Nathan worked in 3 games for the Cubs this year after rehabbing in the minor leagues as he recovered from the Tommy John surgery he underwent last season.
The Cubs activated him July 24 and designated him for assignment on Aug. 5. During that period, they acquired reliever Joe Smith and Aroldis Chapman. The Cubs said Nathan simply got caught in a numbers game.
"At that time, we couldn't fit everybody in," said manager Joe Maddon. "He had one really good game up in Milwaukee, where he got a couple guys on and struck out the side. Just lack of opportunity with us. He's a great guy, a wonderful guy. It just got to the point where we had to accommodate some other guys. I'm really happy that he's there. I'm happy for him."
Nathan began his career in the San Francisco organization and he told the media Saturday: "I want to prove to myself that I can still do it."
Lineup maneuverings:
Jorge Soler was supposed to start in right field Saturday but an ingrown toenail made him a late lineup scratch. Ben Zobrist moved from second base to right field with Javier Baez moving from third to second. Tommy La Stella, who was not in the original lineup, started at third base.
Joe Maddon gave left-handed hitters Anthony Rizzo and Jason Heyward a start off against Giants lefty Madison Bumgarner. Soler was used as a pinch hitter in the fifth inning, and he went into left field before being switched out of the game. Heyward went into right field in the seventh. Rizzo entered the game in the ninth at first base and was thrown out on the base path in the bottom of the inning on a key play.