Cubs' Zobrist getting some extra rest

Second baseman-outfielder Ben Zobrist got his second scheduled day off in a row Monday when Cubs manager Joe Maddon did not start him against the New York Mets.

Zobrist didn't play in Sunday's series finale against Texas.

The 35-year-old was a starter in the All-Star Game, and he played in last Friday's series opener against the Texas Rangers at Wrigley Field.

"He (Maddon) asked me the day we came back after the first game, and I basically said I don't feel rested," Zobrist said. "So he said, 'I'm going to give you a day off coming up here soon.' He picked Sunday, so I assumed Sunday and I'd be playing today. He told me yesterday he wanted to give me two in a row.

"I think it will be good to just be able to stay off my feet a little bit and try and get caught up. I didn't feel like the break kind of helped me get caught up as much as I wanted it to. This couple of days, and we've got an off-day coming up Thursday, by then, I'll be feeling great."

Entering Monday, Zobrist has played in 85 games.

"You don't need as much (time off) when you're younger," he said. "You have more energy and bounce back quicker. After that 24-game stretch where we didn't have much down time, it's taken me longer to bounce back than I realized."

Heading to Iowa:

Outfielders Jorge Soler and Dexter Fowler took off for the Cubs' Class AAA Iowa affiliate, where they will begin injury-rehab assignments Tuesday.

Fowler has been on the disabled list since June 19 with a right-hamstring strain. He already has played in one rehab game for Class A South Bend before going to San Diego for the all-star festivities. He did not play in the All-Star Game.

Soler has been on the DL since June 7 with a left-hamstring strain.

"We also believe he's going to take longer than Dexter," Joe Maddon said of Soler. "We've talked about that. We have a game plan for both of them."

The Cubs hope to have Fowler back by the end the week, with Maddon calling that the "optimal situation."

Fundamentally speaking:

Sunday's starting pitcher, John Lackey, might have raised a few eyebrows when he said postgame: "I think a key for us moving forward is play a little bit better fundamentally and do some of the little things better that make a difference in tight games."

Joe Maddon took up for his defenders.

"Did he give you any examples?" Maddon asked, and he was told no. "OK. I think we've actually been pretty good fundamentally. We're really good at hitting the cutoff man this year, very good. Occasionally, like any other group, a guy might throw the ball to the wrong base, but our bunt coverages have been pretty good, actually outstanding, I think.

"Defense in general, I guess we've converted more balls into outs, balls in play into outs, than any other group in baseball. There was a ball hit to (left fielder Matt) Szczur that he possibly could have thrown to second base that went to third. But if you throw to second and there's an alert third-base coach, the runner could possibly score. It wasn't cut and dried."