Extra bases

• This season, only lefty James Russell and Rule 5 pick Hector Rondon have been in the Cubs' bullpen for the entire season. There was plenty of turnover, which manager Dale Sveum said he would like to avoid next year.

"You've got to start with the bullpen," Sveum said when asked what areas need to be addressed. "Going into that first game next year in Pittsburgh, [we need] to have seven bonafide guys in the bullpen who can shut the door on any given night with power arms and left-handers and hard sinker-ballers. I think that's the first thing you have to address.

"You're going to have to fill some spots here and there and also what happens with the Mike Olts of the world," he said of the third baseman, acquired from the Rangers in July. "All those kind of things come into play. We'll fill the needed spots when we have to get there."

One pitcher Epstein mentioned as a possible option at closer was Kevin Gregg, who took over the job after being released by the Dodgers in April. Gregg has totaled 30 saves for the third time in his career, and the right-hander said he would like to return.

"From my side, there's nothing I can do at this point," said Gregg, who will be a free agent. "We'll wait for any conversation they have and go from there."

• Third baseman Donnie Murphy was pulled from Tuesday's game with a sore left wrist, and his status is day to day.

• Jeff Samardzija reached 200 innings and 200 strikeouts for the first time in his career Tuesday. Travis Wood has 192 innings with two more starts to go.

"It's a huge, huge milestone for anybody to get 200 [innings] and 200 [strikeouts]," Sveum said. "Woody is on the verge of 200 innings as well. You take a lot of pride in that. It's the individuals who have done it. It's because of their performance and getting deep in games. They're the ones who have done it and made the adjustments and still need to make the adjustments to get better and better."