Maddon says Soler ready to start hitting again
Chicago Cubs right fielder Jorge Soler said he would begin taking swings with the bat Friday as he recovers from a left-oblique strain.
Soler has been on the disabled list since Aug. 24, and it was believed he could miss up to one month.
"I still believe I can be back before the season ends," Soler said Wednesday through translator Franklin Font, one of the Cubs' coaches.
Soler was on the DL for a month from early June to early July with an ankle injury.
"He's about ready to start hitting a little bit," said manager Joe Maddon. "I saw him in there doing some rotational exercises. I talked to him on the bench yesterday. He was very upbeat. I don't know exactly timetable on this yet but he's doing better."
The Cubs do have some options. They were going to use Chris Coghlan in right field Wednesday, but they moved him to left after Kyle Schwarber went for an MRI to determine the extent of a rib injury. Newly acquired Austin Jackson got the start in right. So that takes some of the sting out of Soler being out.
"It's a mitigating factor," Maddon said. "Austin is a good baseball player. And he's having a good year. He's really been hot. Furthermore, he's been there, done that in this time of the year, and that really helps us. I thought it was an outstanding move on the part of our guys to get him here under the circumstances.
"Losing Jorge at this moment was not very good, but I think we've done a nice job of trying to fix it up a little bit. So I'm really excited about Austin and what he can do here."
Jackson went 2-for-4 with a double in Wednesday's 7-4 loss to the Reds. He also looked good in the field.
Can't win vs. Votto:
In Monday's series opener, the Cubs intentionally walked Reds star Joey Votto with first base occupied and two outs in the fifth inning. Brandon Phillips followed with a 2-run single against Kyle Hendricks.
Wednesday, the Cubs pitched to Votto with men on first and second and two outs in the ninth. Votto crushed a 3-run homer to left-center against Cubs closer Hector Rondon.
"We had the choice of doing what we did the other day," said Joe Maddon. "But it was a different pitcher, and I felt good about Ronnie right there. There are different things you can do. Obviously, we probably should have zigged when we zagged. The third fastball in a row finally got him. Votto is good.
"That's just execution. You throw the pitch where you want to, and obviously it's a good pitch. We didn't throw where we wanted to, and then it's a 3-run homer."