Cubs send Dolis down to work on his control
Rafael Dolis went from closer to middle reliever to the minor leagues in three days.
The Cubs on Monday optioned Dolis to Class AAA Iowa as they activated reliever Carlos Marmol off the disabled list. It’s pretty clear what manager Dale Sveum wants Dolis to work on at Iowa.
“Hopefully, it’s not very long,” Sveum said. “It’s a not a demotion as much as it is going down there and getting right and hopefully pretty soon. But he’s got to be able to throw strikes.
“It’s hard for me to use him right now again because he’s lost complete command of his fastball. Just go down, hopefully gain some confidence real quick, and not be down there too long.”
Dolis was 2-4 with a 5.68 ERA and 4 saves. He also had 17 walks and 11 strikeouts in 25 innings pitched.
As for Marmol, the Cubs’ erstwhile closer will go back into a middle-relief role. He lost his job as closer and was working as a middle reliever when he went on the disabled list May 12 with a right-hamstring strain.
He rehabbed at Iowa and said he’s feeling better, especially with his slider.
“I threw a lot of sliders,” Marmol said of his stint at Iowa. “I’m very confident with my slider.”
Dempster doings:
With trade rumors beginning about Cubs pitcher Ryan Dempster, team president Theo Epstein was asked if he’d like to keep the popular veteran, who is in the final year of his contract.
“We’ve chatted about a lot of different things,” Epstein said. “I have a pretty good feel of where he’s coming from. We have an open dialogue. Actually, we just chatted about chatting at some point.
“This organization is better off for having him. We’ll have to take a realistic view of where we are. If there are ways to get better, every option has to be on the table.”
Dempster has 10-and-5 rights (10 years in the big leagues and at least five with one club) and thus the right to refuse any trade.
Cashner returns:
Former Cubs pitcher Andrew Cashner now is a mainstay of the San Diego Padres’ bullpen. The Cubs traded him in the off-season for first baseman Anthony Rizzo.
Cashner was the Cubs’ first-round draft choice in 2008. But that was under former general manager Jim Hendry.
“I wasn’t their guy,” Cashner said of the Cubs’ new front office. “I was one of Jim Hendry’s guys. It’s just kind of one of those things you deal with, and life goes on.”
With the Padres, the hard-throwing Cashner is 2-3 with a 3.38 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 21 innings. He also plays in a pitcher’s ballpark in Petco Park.
“I like San Diego a lot; you can’t beat the weather,” he said. “Every day you show up, 65-75 degrees, clear skies. Great organization and great coaches.”
Soto coming along:
Catcher Geovany Soto returned to Wrigley Field as he continues his rehab from left-knee surgery. He has been on the disabled list since May 19, retro to May 17.
“I feel I’m close,” Soto said. “Rehab is going very well. The swelling has gone down considerably.”
There is no timetable for Soto’s return, but the Cubs have said it’s a three-week injury. Soto is likely to get a few at-bats on a minor-league rehab assignment.