Fuld nursing very sore thumb

Sam Fuld stuck out like a sore thumb when he showed up to the Cubs' clubhouse late Tuesday afternoon. That's because Fuld has a very sore thumb.

Fuld made a diving catch in Monday's game against the Brewers, and in doing so, he bent his thumb back as it hit the ground. He underwent an MRI on Tuesday and also had X-rays, and the Cubs said the results showed nothing more than a strained thumb, with swelling, but no significant ligament damage or fracture.

"Good news," Fuld said. "It's basically just a matter of rest before it gets better. I was told it was roughly about a seven-day recovery."

Manager Lou Piniella said before Tuesday's game the Cubs may call up an outfielder from the minor leagues.

The Cubs would not rule out either Tyler Colvin or James Adduci, both of whom are in the Southern League championship series with Class AA Tennessee. Colvin was the Cubs' No. 1 draft pick in 2006, and he was a certainty to be added to the 40-man roster this fall anyway.

Soriano has surgery: Alfonso Soriano underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Tuesday.

The Cubs said doctors found "acute inflammation" and "expected cartilage degeneration." which they cleaned out.

Soriano is done playing for the season. He won't go to St. Louis with the Cubs this weekend, but he'll rejoin them in Milwaukee next week.

"So he'll have some good care done to his knee for the next few weeks, and then when he goes to the Dominican Republic after our season is over, he'll be going to the (Cubs) academy three or four days a week and continue to get some treatment there," Lou Piniella said.

"According to the reports I have, it was very successful, and he should be ready to go full-bore by next spring."

Looking ahead: The Cubs will open the 2010 season in Atlanta on April 5 and head to Cincinnati before the home opener against Milwaukee on April 12.

The interleague schedule features the home-and-home series with the White Sox and Wrigley Field games against the Athletics and the Angels.

The Cubs will travel to Texas and to Seattle.