Cubs' Strop getting closer to return

The Cubs bullpen has been at or near the top of the National League most of the season under trying circumstances.

But it could be that they get Pedro Strop back soon.

Strop, who had been closing since Brandon Morrow went on the disabled list — for the season, it turned out — in July, has been out since hurting his left hamstring running the bases in a Sept. 13 game in Washington.

“He's doing well,” manager Joe Maddon said Friday. “He threw (Thursday), felt pretty good. He's getting closer, throwing kind of like full strength. He's just not 100 percent comfortable on the landing yet, but overall, pretty darn close. It's further along than we anticipated at this point.”

It's questionable whether Strop will pitch in either of the final two games of the regular season, but the Cubs seem to be taking the long view with the goal of having him ready for the postseason.

Although Maddon never officially named Strop the closer, Strop has 13 saves, second on the team to Morrow's 22.

In Strop's absence, the Cubs have gotten strong work from Jesse Chavez, who earned his fourth Cubs save Thursday night, as well as from others.

“He's been outstanding,” Maddon said of Chavez. “He's been able to close some games out, but the work he did the night before, he gives you those 2 innings. He goes out there and is still throwing 93-94 miles an hour after throwing like 30 pitches the night before.”

Here's to success:

The Cubs clinched a playoff spot Wednesday night. After Thursday night's 3-0 victory over the Pirates, they celebrated quickly and quietly in the clubhouse.

“We did do a little shot last night after the game,” Joe Maddon said. “We had them all in the big circle in there. I wanted to praise them and congratulate them for the work that they've done this year. I talked about it in the pregame. Winning the game last night made that moment a little bit better.”

If the Cubs clinch the National League Central this weekend, they likely will do a full-blown champagne celebration.

This and that:

The Cubs activated veteran catcher Bobby Wilson off the disabled list. They acquired Wilson from Minnesota on Aug. 30, and he had been on the DL with a right-ankle sprain ... Daniel Murphy has an eight-game hitting streak, having gone 13-for-35 ... David Bote recorded 7 assists in Friday's 8-4 win over the Cardinals. That's the most by a Cubs third baseman this season.