MESA, Ariz. -- The Cubs released pitcher Jim Henderson on Thursday, and optioned Jake Buchanan, Alec Mills and Jeimer Candelario to Triple-A Iowa. Williams Perez, Dylan Floro and David Rollins also were assigned to Minor League camp, trimming the number of players in camp to 36.
Henderson, 34, had played for Team Canada during the World Baseball Classic, and appeared in five games in relief for the Cubs.
"He's a good guy," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "It just wasn't working for him. He'll be the first person to tell you he wasn't at the top of his game. You hope he lands somewhere and has a great season. He's a wonderful man. It's unfortunate it did not work out any better."
Candelario, on the other hand, had another impressive spring.
"His time is coming on a consistent basis," Maddon said of the third baseman. "Like a lot of our young players, they need opportunites, but they also need to go kill it in the Minor Leagues a little bit. I really believe in players earning their right to be in the Major Leagues. His time is coming, he's really that good."
Candelario batted .350 in 15 games last year, and hit .235 in 22 games this spring. He played solid defense at third.
"I said, 'You had a great spring last year, and another great spring this year, and the difference is I think you believe you belong here now,'" Maddon said of his message to Candelario. "Last year, he had a great camp, but his eyes weren't the same. He's had a chance to be up there [in the big leagues]. He's had two good camps, he knows what a Major League player looks like, and he knows he is one now. I really harped on that in the meeting."
Worth noting
• On Thursday, Benjamin Zobrist said he was feeling better after being out with a stiff neck, and could return to action Saturday. The World Series Most Valuable Player, Zobrist was 6-for-30 in 12 Cactus League games.
"My conversation was there's no need to rush anything," Maddon said. "He looked really good at the plate prior to this, so let's make sure everything is calmed down. There's no rush necessary."
• Even though Jason Heyward is batting .125 in 15 games this spring, Maddon likes what he sees.
"I just want him to keep doing what he's been doing," Maddon said. "I like the approach a lot -- not a little bit. I want him to keep doing what he's doing, I don't want him to do anything differently."
Heyward spent most of the offseason in Mesa, working with hitting coaches John Mallee and Eric Hinske on his swing after batting .230 last year.
"The results are going to eventually show up, I absolutely believe that, in regards to batting average or numbers," Maddon said. "His work is spectacular, he can't care any more than he does. He'll do the things on defense, he runs the bases. I believe the numbers will pop in a positive way."
The adjustments now are more mental in regards to how to attack pitchers, Maddon said, than the outfielder's stance.
• The Cubs expect Javier Baez back in camp on Friday after playing for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic.
• Wednesday's Cubs game in Goodyear against the Reds was called in the fifth inning because of rain, although the way the wind picked up made it feel like a dust storm, which is known as a haboob.
"It really felt like one of those," Maddon said. "It got really freaky fast."
Carrie Muskat