NEW YORK -- The Cubs' Benjamin Zobrist may be headed to the disabled list if his left wrist doesn't improve by Friday.
Zobrist, who has been bothered by soreness in his wrist since the Cubs' series in Los Angeles in late May, said it simply isn't getting better. A switch-hitter, it bothers Zobrist when he bats from the right side.
"It's just been sore," Zobrist said. "If it's an emergency situation, I told [manager Joe Maddon] that left-handed, I'm good to go. We'll see. In the event that I don't play today and then the off-day [Thursday], on Friday, if it's still sore, we may have to make a decision. That's kind of where it's at. If it's feeling like way better on Friday, I'll be playing Friday."
Zobrist did play Monday, but by not playing since then, if he does have to go on the DL, the Cubs could backdate the start date.
"It's just not getting better, as better as I'd like it to be getting," Zobrist said. "It's affecting my ability to prepare and my ability to feel comfortable at the plate. I don't want to put the team in that situation. If we can get through this game [Wednesday] without me being in there, potentially we could backdate that, if that's what has to happen."
Zobrist has not undergone an MRI exam on his wrist yet, but that also may be another step in the process.
"At this point, it's more like am I handicapping the team if I'm not 100 percent?" Zobrist said. "I want to make sure when I'm out there, I'm feeling better than I have been feeling. I haven't been able to feel like I can prepare as well as I'd like to."
Maddon has tried to give Zobrist days off to heal, and he said he thought the wrist was improving.
"He's available to pinch-hit 100 percent, but we're trying to get it to calm down now," Maddon said. "The big point is to have him well in August and September. I'm not overly concerned. It's just a nagging thing we have to clear up."
• Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks underwent a second MRI on his right hand to gauge his progress. The Cubs had hoped the right-hander could return this weekend, but he felt pain when he tried to throw on Tuesday. He's on the DL because of inflammation in his hand.
"We really did anticipate he might be pitching by this weekend," Maddon said. "We wanted to get this double-checked."
• A memorial service for former Cubs outfield coach Jimmy Piersall will be held June 23 at 10 a.m. CT at Wheaton Bible Church in West Chicago. Piersall died on June 3. The program will last about an hour and lunch will be served afterward. The public is invited. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Rush University Medical Center.