LOS ANGELES -- The Cubs' bullpen endured a couple of setbacks over the past two days. Steve Cishek was struck on the right knee by an errant throw while playing catch pregame on Wednesday in Colorado, and Carl Edwards Jr. was shelved with a left thoracic strain prior to Thursday's game against the Dodgers.

Good news could be found out in Arizona, where recently signed closer Craig Kimbrel worked through a 24-pitch session against hitters on Thursday.

"It looks like he's right where he needs to be," Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said on Thursday at Dodger Stadium.

Epstein was careful not to reveal a firm timetable for Kimbrel's path to Chicago's bullpen, leaving some wiggle room for the schedule to be adjusted to how the closer is feeling and recovering from his workouts. Epstein did note that Kimbrel will throw live batting practice at least one more time before the Cubs evaluate his next step. He will have to pitch in a handful of Minor League games before joining Chicago.

"We have sort of something of a rough draft in our head scripted out that he's working off and we're working off," Epstein said. "But, yeah, probably one more, at least one more live BP down there, and then we'll see how ready he is for game activity."

Cishek sustained a bruise on his right knee, but he played catch prior to Thursday's game and is considered day to day. Manager Joe Maddon did not rule out using the sidearmer out of the bullpen in the opener of this four-game series against the Dodgers.

Edwards was placed on the 10-day injured list with what the Cubs described as an upper-back issue. The right-hander felt some discomfort after his outing on Sunday, and the issue persisted into Monday. Once it was determined that Edwards was unlikely to be available for the series in Los Angeles, the team opted to place him on the injured list and recall lefty Tim Collins from Triple-A Iowa.

Since returning from Triple-A in early May, Edwards has a 2.03 ERA with 15 strikeouts, four hits allowed and three walks issued in 13 1/3 innings. The right-hander limited batters to a .093 average and .335 OPS over that stretch. In 15 appearances with Chicago on the season, Edwards has a 5.40 ERA.

"We just could not afford for him to be well in four, five or six days," Maddon said. "We needed to be full boat here out in L.A., so we thought it was the best thing to do is just give him this chance to settle everything down. [The medical staff] doesn't think it's anything awful, but nevertheless, it would've prevented him probably from pitching this whole series."

More 'definition' on Zobrist front

Epstein has kept in contact with Ben Zobrist in recent weeks, and the team's president of baseball operations expressed more optimism on Thursday about the possibility of having the veteran utility man back with the Cubs this season.

"I think there's been a little definition added to how he hopes this thing might go," Epstein said. "But again, his priorities right now have to be with his family situation. There could be a point later on where that would allow him to be ready and come back, but nothing's been determined yet."

The 38-year-old Zobrist has been on MLB's restricted list since May 8.

"He knows the door's open," Epstein said. "We'll see how things evolve. I think we'd all love to see him back here and he'd love to be back. So we'll see if that can come to fruition."

Worth noting

• Epstein said that righty Ryan Jensen -- the Cubs' first-round pick in the MLB Draft earlier this month -- will report to Arizona for an orientation of sorts. Chicago will be conservative with Jensen, who logged 100 innings this year for Fresno State. Jensen will get some work in at the Cubs' pitching lab in Arizona and could make a handful of pro appearances later this season.

• Shortstop Nico Hoerner, who is the Cubs' No. 1 prospect per MLB Pipeline, is out of a splint and has resumed baseball activities, according to Epstein. The Cubs are hopeful that Hoerner, who has not played for Double-A Tennessee since April 23 due to a left wrist fracture, can return to game activity in roughly two weeks.

• Right-hander Brandon Morrow (60-day injured list, right elbow) continues to play catch on flat ground at the Cubs' complex in Mesa, Ariz. Epstein said there have been no health milestones of late for Morrow, whose timetable for return remains unclear.