Extra bases

Third baseman Ian Stewart, sidelined since last Thursday with a mild quad strain, was able to take part in the Cubs' bunting tournament on Wednesday but lost to Anthony Rizzo, who advanced to the sweet 16 round.

Stewart is spending most of his time rehabbing with Josh Vitters, who also injured his left quad on the same day. The two have been able to do agility work.

"Me and Ian are basically doing the same routine," Vitters said Wednesday. "We push each other."

Others to advance in the bunting tournament include Logan Watkins, Chris Rusin and strength coach Tim Buss, who beat pitcher Scott Baker.

• Matt Garza could resume throwing on Thursday. The pitcher, who has been shut down since Feb. 17 because of a strained left lat, passed all his tests on Wednesday.

"He did really well today and everything went great," Cubs manager Dale Sveum said after Wednesday's game. "As long as he comes in [Thursday] feeling pretty good, there will be a really good chance he'll start light tossing."

The Cubs want to make sure the throwing motion doesn't aggravate Garza's side before having him throw off the mound.

• Luis Valbuena led off on Wednesday, and could be an option during the season against left-handers. David DeJesus will be the main leadoff man, but Valbuena has impressed Sveum.

"[He's a possibility] because he gives you great at-bats, he sees a lot of pitches, he can score first with a home run once in a while, he drives the ball," Sveum said of Valbuena. "He's got all the things you want in a leadoff hitter."

• One of the Cubs' highlights in Wednesday's 11-7 loss to the Dodgers came in the eighth when top prospect Javier Baez knocked down shortstop Dee Gordon with a line-drive leadoff single.

"I think I've seen balls hit as hard, but I don't think I've ever seen a ball hit harder," Sveum said. "That was like balls that [Gary] Sheffield used to hit."

"You don't teach the kind of bat speed Baez has," Sveum said. "That's special and comes around once in a while."

Baez, the Cubs' No. 1 pick in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft, didn't say anything to Gordon about the rocket.

"It felt pretty good," Baez said. "If you hit a ball like that all the time, you're going to be great, you're going to feel great. You just have to get on base no matter how."