LOS ANGELES -- The Cubs have made a point not to reveal Craig Kimbrel's full throwing schedule, leaving flexibility for the club to adjust each step if necessary. A little over a week since signing the elite closer, all indications are that he has been hitting every benchmark that was mapped out behind the scenes.

Following a live batting-practice workout Saturday, Kimbrel was scheduled to fly to Sacramento, Calif., on Sunday to join Triple-A Iowa during its series against the River Cats. The current plan calls for Kimbrel to make his first game appearances for Iowa on Tuesday, representing his first game action since signing a multiyear contract with Chicago on June 7.

"Everything's been on schedule so far," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said prior to Sunday's game against the Dodgers. "The last part of the schedule, there's still some wiggle room there. It depends on how he feels. But again, everything is as planned right now and that's all I've really got. He's feeling great.

"The numbers are right -- coming out of his hand. So we'll just take this next step and then evaluate after that. Obviously, it's not far off, but we still have to be patient."

Earlier this weekend, Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said the team had "something of a rough draft" for Kimbrel's throwing program for the weeks leading up to joining the Major League bullpen. If Chicago structures it similar to Spring Training, the right-hander could make around five Minor League appearances, including back-to-back games as a final test.

The timing of Kimbrel's arrival to Chicago will likely depend on whether the Cubs think that consecutive outings in the Minors is a necessary step. If not, Kimbrel might be on target to join the Cubs at some point during the upcoming home series against the Braves (June 24-27). If Kimbrel does work back-to-back games at Triple-A, then it seems possible that he could arrive during the road series at Cincinnati (June 28-30).

"I'd rather not speculate just in case there are changes to it," Epstein said.

More moves after Kimbrel?
Adding Kimbrel will give the Cubs one of the game's best closers, allowing the team to slot arms like Pedro Strop, Steve Cishek and others into earlier innings. The timing of the signing also gives Chicago ample time to evaluate if more relief reinforcements are needed prior to the July 31 Trade Deadline. Specifically, the Cubs could benefit from targeting an impact left-handed arm.

"We'll continue to try to stay proactive," said Epstein, who noted that the elimination of August waiver trades will alter the landscape of the market. "It's very competitive out there. We'll see. Long way to go before the end of July. New rules this year, too. That'll probably make for a higher volume across the industry, even if they're a lot of small deals, too."

Epstein was asked if he felt the rest of the Cubs' roster was fine without any external additions.

"The second you say that then things crop up, so I would never say that," Epstein said. "I like the team that we have. I like the depth that we have. But I think you're always looking to get better, fortify weaknesses. The way it works this year, you almost have to anticipate needs before they happen, because you can't address them later on."

Worth noting
• With David Bote and Addison Russell getting the bulk of the playing time at second base of late, veteran utility man Daniel Descalso had been relegated mostly to a pinch-hitting role. Descalso was batting .310 with an .842 OPS on April 24, but entered Sunday with a .101 average (8-for-79) and .373 OPS since that date.

Maddon said he continues to have full faith in Descalso's ability to turn his season around.

"I've had a lot of good conversations with him," Maddon said. "This guy is an absolute professional. I've talked to him and I believe this, and I've told him straight up, I said, 'By the end of the year, you're going to be really important to us and you're going to feel that thing at the plate again and you're going to start hitting. You're going to start contributing again. Just please stay solvent and know that I know this also.'"

• The Cubs are still weighing who will replace right-hander Kyle Hendricks (10-day injured list with a right shoulder injury) in the rotation next week. Chicago could go with Tyler Chatwood or Mike Montgomery, but Epstein said Saturday that prospect Adbert Alzolay is also an option. Maddon said the team will announce its decision Tuesday.

Quotable
"You can't contrive a rivalry. It either is or it isn't. This is. When you coexist in the same city, it naturally occurs. ... Even like the parking dudes in my building, they're White Sox fans and I love it. They give me crap in the morning, I get in my car and I drive off. It's good. I love the banter, the back and forth." -- Maddon, on the Cubs' upcoming series against the White Sox