Soriano returns tonight

PHOENIX - Look for Alfonso Soriano to be activated tonight.

Cubs manager Lou Piniella saw no other alternative Tuesday than to put his star left fielder back on the active roster after he played for Class AAA Iowa on Tuesday night as he finished his rehab from a broken left hand.

"He probably needs more at-bats than what we're giving him," said Piniella, repeating his sentiments from Monday. "It's been a long time. But, what do we do, leave him here? I don't know. Let's see what happens after his 4 or 5 at-bats in Tucson, and then we can make a determination."

Piniella has traced the Cubs' offensive woes to Soriano's absence, which began June 11, when he broke his left hand getting hit by a pitch.

There are other effects, too, says the manager.

"Getting Soriano back in the lineup will do a lot of things for us," Piniella said. "First of all, it gets us deeper on the bench. We haven't double-switched in a game. I can't remember the last time we double-switched.

"At the same time, you come to the ballpark, and there's your leadoff hitter. Now, you build your lineup from there. Whoever's hitting best in the 2-hole will hit second. And you go."

Injury updates: Pitching coach Larry Rothschild accompanied injured veterans Jon Lieber and Scott Eyre over to Mesa early Tuesday and watched them pitch in a Rookie League game. Eyre is on the DL with a strained left groin. Lieber has a right-foot strain.

"I thought they looked fine," Rothschild said. "Lieber and Eyre needed to get the work in, so it was good. Jon extended out a little bit, with 3 innings."

Rothschild also got a chance to see righty Angel Guzman, who has been throwing simulated games as he tries to come back from elbow surgery.

"The one thing you look for with a guy who's been injured that much is the arm strength, and it was there," Rothschild said. "He threw the ball with real good velocity. He seems to be on his way."

That could mean being on his way to a minor-league assignment.

As far as Eyre and Lieber go, Eyre has been eligible to come off the DL for some time. Lieber can come off Saturday.

"Jon was good today, and Scotty threw the ball well," Rothschild said.

Lieber started and worked 3 shutout innings, giving up 4 hits while striking out one. Eyre worked 1 scoreless inning, walking one.

Game-time updates: ESPN gets its last Sunday night game with the Cubs on Aug. 10 vs. the Cardinals at Wrigley. That's a 7:05 start. The Monday Aug. 4 game against the Astros starts at 6:05 p.m., also for ESPN. The Sunday Aug. 31 and Sept. 21 games will start at 1:20 p.m.