CHICAGO -- Cubs reliever Héctor Rondón played catch on Wednesday to test his sore right triceps, but he will need at least another day before he can pitch in a game.
"There's nothing negative," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "He's trending in the right direction, not the wrong direction."
Cubs athletic trainer PJ Mainville and pitching coach Chris Bosio watched Rondon's early workout. The right-hander, who was the Cubs' closer before the arrival of Aroldis Chapman, last pitched Aug. 2.
• Trevor Cahill gave up three earned runs on two hits -- both home runs -- and struck out four over two innings for Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday in what was likely his final tuneup before starting one of the Cubs' doubleheader games against the Brewers on Tuesday. Chicago will play host to Milwaukee in a day-night doubleheader at Wrigley Field, with the first game starting at 12:20 p.m. CT, and the second game at 7:05 p.m.
Cahill threw 36 pitches, 23 for strikes, in the outing against Oklahoma City. The right-hander has been rehabbing at Iowa from patellar tendinitis in his right knee, and was making his sixth start.
Cahill would be the eighth different pitcher to start a game for the Cubs. In addition to the regular starting five of Jake Arrieta, Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks, John Lackey and Jason Hammel, Adam Warren and Brian Matusz each made one start.
• Since 2009, when Ben Zobrist played everywhere with the Rays, Maddon has lobbied for more recognition for super-utility players. On Wednesday, he repeated that versatile players need to be included on All-Star teams and predicted more teams would follow what the Cubs have done.
"The fact that we have so many guys who play a variety of positions well, that's got to start happening with other places, other organizations," Maddon said. "It's so beneficial to the game in progress, the things you can do, whether it's pinch-hit, accelerate your defense. We're able to do all these different things because of the athleticism and ability."
Javier Báez has become the Cubs' version of Zobrist, and Maddon said if the young infielder ever settled in one spot and played every day, he'd be a leading Gold Glove Award candidate.
• The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball announced that Cubs Minor League right-handed pitcher Luiz Escanio has received a 144-game suspension without pay after testing positive for a metabolite of Boldenone, a performance-enhancing substance in violation of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.
The suspension of Escanio, who was currently on the roster of the Dominican Summer League Cubs, was effective immediately.