Chicago
Cubs

News: DeWitt was placed on the minor league DL at Triple-A Iowa with a sprained wrist, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Impact: DeWitt already had one hurdle in getting back to the majors by getting removed from the 40-man roster. This injury removes any final possibility of a quick return.

News: The Cubs demoted Rafael Dolis from the closer's job, the Chicago Tribune reports. Marmol returns from the DL early next week. Right now Shawn Camp and James Russell will share the closing duties.
Impact: It's possible that Marmol eventually will close again, but it doesn't necessarily appear to be the case when he initially returns. Manager Dale Sveum emphasized the need for control from the spot, not a strong suit for Marmol. "If something happens, it's going to be because (the opposition) hit the ball, not losing the back end of these games because of walks," Sveum said. "That's the most frustrating thing about this. ... Nobody is really hitting the ball or doing things. We're imploding by walking guys and hitting guys."

News: Camp and James Russell will split the closing duties for the Cubs, with Rafael Dolis moving to middle relief, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Impact: Camp's biggest selling point is that he hasn't been wild. He pitched two innings Saturday, so chances are if there's a save opportunity Sunday, it'll probably go to Russell. Carlos Marmol will come off the DL next week, but it's not a sure thing that he'll regain his old job.

News: Russell and Shawn Camp will split the closing duties for the Cubs, assuming any arise, with Rafael Dolis demoted to middle relief, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Impact: Camp threw two innings Saturday, so if a situation appears Sunday, it'll likely go to Russell.

News: Dolis will be moved to middle relief after walking two and hitting a batter to let in the winning run Saturday, the Chicago Tribune reports. Shawn Camp and James Russell will split the closing duties.
Impact: Carlos Marmol will also be off the DL next week and could be part of the picture, though manager Dale Sveum made this latest move because of Dolis' lack of control. "If something happens, it's going to be because (the opposition) hit the ball, not losing the back end of these games because of walks," Sveum said. "That's the most frustrating thing about this. ... Nobody is really hitting the ball or doing things. We're imploding by walking guys and hitting guys."

News: Stewart is not in Sunday's lineup against the Pirates, the Cubs' official Twitter feed reports.
Impact: Stewart will sit against Bucs' lefty Erik Bedard on Sunday, with Joe Mather getting the start at third base for the Cubs.

News: LaHair is not Sunday's lineup against the Pirates, the Cubs' official Twitter feed reports.
Impact: LaHair will give way to Jeff Baker at first base Sunday, with the Pirates sending lefty Erik Bedard to the mound.

News: Stewart is back in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Pirates, according to the Cubs' official Twitter page.
Impact: Stewart sat out the last three games with what appears to be an undisclosed injury, but apparently he is feeling good enough to play again. Stewart will man third base and bat sixth Saturday night.

News: Maholm allowed two runs over five innings and did not factor in the decision Saturday against the Pirates.
Impact: He gave up four hits while walking five and striking out two. Although he allowed a lot of walks, he was able to limit the damage and keep the Cubs within striking distance for five innings. His ERA on the season now stands at 4.62 to go along with 29 strikeouts and 17 walks.

News: The Cubs placed the backup catcher on the DL with tightness in his right side.
Impact: He was replaced on the active roster by Wellington Castillo.

News: The Chicago Cubs placed right-hander Carlos Marmol on the 15-day disabled list because of an injured hamstring. The Cubs made the move Saturday and called up righty Casey Coleman from Triple-A Iowa.
Impact: Marmol was hurt Friday night while pitching during the seventh inning in a game against Milwaukee. He returned to Chicago to have an MRI, which revealed the injury. Marmol is 0-1 with a 6.35 ERA in 15 games this season.

News: Stewart has been scratched from Friday's starting lineup, the Cubs' official Twitter page reports.
Impact: Adrian Cardenas will replace Stewart at third base and bat sixth against right-hander A.J. Burnett. This will be the 27-year-old Stewart's third straight day out of the lineup, and it's beginning to seem like he may be dealing with an injury of some kind.

News: LaHair is in the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Pirates, the Cubs' official Twitter page reports.
Impact: LaHair yielded the last two starts at first base to Jeff Baker, but he's back there Friday. He'll be in his usual cleanup spot against right-handed A.J. Burnett and will look to break out of his current 1-for-14 slump at the plate.

News: Johnson is not in the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Pirates, the Cubs' official Twitter page reports.
Impact: Johnson was in center field and batted second in the team's previous two games, but Joe Mather will be in center field and Starlin Castro will bat second against right-hander A.J. Burnett on Friday.

News: Castro will bat second against the Pirates on Friday, the Cubs' official Twitter page reports.
Impact: Castro has been successful (.313 average) batting third in the lineup this year, but he'll move up to the second spot with both Reed Johnson and Tony Campana out of Friday's lineup. Joe Mather will move up to the third spot in the lineup with right-hander A.J. Burnett on the bump for the Bucs. Manager Dale Sveum said recently that he was thinking about shaking up the top of the order, but it remains to be seen how long this change will last.

News: Dempster allowed just one run on seven hits, walking one and striking out six over 7.1 innings of a 1-0 loss to the Pirates on Friday night.
Impact: After the Cubs squandered yet another solid outing by the hard-luck hurler, his record stands at 0-3 despite an impressive 2.14 ERA. He has another favorable match-up at home against the Padres next time out and can only hope the Cubs bats eventually show up.

News: Baker is not in the starting lineup Friday against the Pirates, the Cubs Team Website reports.
Impact: Bryan LaHair gets the start at first base Friday against A.J. Burnett.

News: Clevenger (oblique) caught four innings at Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Impact: One positive sign: He was able to throw out the one runner who attempted to steal on him. He could return shortly from the DL.

News: Marmol (hamstring) threw a simulated game at Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Impact: Marmol will officially start his rehab assignment Friday or Saturday.

News: Dolis pitched poorly for the second night in a row Wednesday, allowing three earned runs in two-thirds of an inning in a loss to the Astros.
Impact: Dolis received the loss the night before, but only added to the Cubs' deficit Wednesday. Dolis now has a 4.74 ERA this season, but at this moment it appears he will retain the closer role by default.

News: Samardzija continued his impressive start to the year, pitching six innings of two-run ball, but he came away with the loss in Wednesday's bout with the Astros.
Impact: Samardzija struck out four, but saw his record fall to 4-3 on the year. His ERA stands right on the button at 3.00 and his WHIP impressively at 1.18. The former Notre Dame standout looks to be finally putting it all together.

News: Wood allowed two hits and two runs with three strikeouts in 5 2-3 innings of Tuesday's 2-1 loss at Houston.
Impact: It was his second major league start of the season. He was recalled from Triple-A Iowa before Tuesday's game.

News: LaHair is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Astros, the Cubs' official Twitter reports.
Impact: With a lefty on the mound for the second straight day, the Cubs will rest LaHair in favor of John Baker. Despite his stellar overall slash line of .313/.411/.617, LaHair has languished against left-handers, producing a line of .095/.269/.238. LaHair will likely remain out of the lineup until he can figure out lefties.

News: Wood took the loss Tuesday against Houston, allowing two runs on just two hits and two walks over 5.2 innings.
Impact: It was a hard luck loss for Wood between just the four baserunners and being outdueled by J.A. Happ. Still, it was an encouraging sign from the young lefty, whom the Cubs acquired from the Reds in the Sean Marshall trade this offseason. He lowered his ERA to 3.86 with the performance.

News: Castillo has a sprained knee ligament and has landed on the 15-day disabled list.
Impact: Castillo is hitting .185 for the last-place Cubs.

News: Castillo (knee) has been placed on the 15-day DL retroactive to May 19, the Cubs' official Twitter feed reports.
Impact: The move cleared space on the roster for Travis Wood, while the retroactive placement could enable Castillo to get back in the fold as soon as he's eligible to do so June 6.

News: Wood has been officially recalled from Triple-A Iowa and will start Tuesday against Houston, the Cubs' official site reports.
Impact: Wood will be making just his second start of the season and first since a spot-start, no-decision on May 6, after which he was sent back down. "I've been throwing the ball pretty well down there and hopefully it translates up here and I just go out and give the team a chance to win every fifth day," said Wood, who won his last two outings in Iowa. "Hopefully, I'm able to stick around for a while this time. Whatever's going to happen is going to happen." Wood had a 4.57 ERA over 41.1 innings down in Triple-A Iowa with a 39:11 K:BB ratio.

News: LaHair is not in the lineup Tuesday, the Cubs' official Twitter feed reports.
Impact: Jeff Baker is starting at first base with lefty J.A. Happ on the hill for Houston.

News: Garza gave up seven runs on five hits over three innings against the Astros on Monday night.
Impact: He needed 72 pitches to record nine outs, and Garza gave up a pair of homers in his shortest start of the season. Garza has allowed two or fewer runs in six of his first eight starts and should be primed to bounce back against the Pirates in his next scheduled start Sunday.

News: LaHair went 1-for-16 with seven strikeouts in the Cubs' five-game homestand concluding Sunday.
Impact: With his strikeout rate so high, it was inevitable that LaHair's batting average would take a fall. With a 65 percent contact rate and a .408 BABIP, more batting average pain is probably on its way, though perhaps not as dramatic as these past five games.

News: Soriano went 3 for 4 with a homer and two RBIs in Saturday's 7-4 loss to the White Sox.
Impact: It was Soriano's third homer in five games.

News: Maholm (4-3) picked up the loss Sunday as he allowed five runs on nine hits, three of them home runs, in 6.1 innings as the Cubs lost to the White Sox.
Impact: While his ERA declined from 4.35 to 4.73 after the outing, Maholm was able to limit his free passes to zero after walking three in both of previous two starts. As a result, his WHIP held steady at 1.204 in spite of the shelling he endured at the hands of the White Sox.

News: Clevenger (oblique) will begin playing in minor league games Tuesday, ESPNChicago.com reports.
Impact: Clevenger was able to take batting practice at Wrigley Field on Sunday, and he plans to work his way up to nine innings by the end of the week. If everything goes well, he may be well enough to return May 28 against the Padres.

News: Soriano has been playing with knee soreness all season, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Impact: Soriano believes that he has finally adjusted to playing with the soreness, as evidenced by his recent power production. "I have to learn to play with pain, because I'm not 25 anymore," he said. "For a couple weeks I've had treatment on my knee. I never think I'm going to be 100 percent, but I can play with pain. I like to play."

News: Stewart is back in the lineup for Sunday's game against the White Sox, the Cubs' official Twitter page reports.
Impact: Stewart was held out of the lineup Saturday with lefty John Danks on the mound for the White Sox, but he's back in there Sunday. Though he has four homers and 13 RBI on the year, Stewart's .206 average really hurts his fantasy value.

News: DeJesus is back in the lineup for Sunday's game against the White Sox, the Cubs' official Twitter page reports.
Impact: The 32-year-old was out of Saturday's lineup for the first time since May 1. He's currently working on a 10-game hitting streak, and he's back atop the batting order for the Cubs to take on right-hander Jake Peavy.

News: Campana is back in the lineup for Sunday's game against the White Sox, the Cubs' official Twitter page reports.
Impact: Campana sat out Saturday's contest with lefty John Danks on the bump, but he's back in there Sunday to face off against right-hander Jake Peavy.

News: Clevenger (oblique) is scheduled to begin batting practice this weekend, the Cubs' official site reports.
Impact: Clevenger isn't expected to be ready to return next weekend from the DL, though his status has taken on a greater sense of urgency following injuries to Geovany Soto and Welington Castillo.

News: Castillo has a right MCL sprain and will be out four to seven days, the Cubs' official site reports.
Impact: Castillo's injury prompted the Cubs to trade for Koyie Hill. Castillo is the third Cubs' catcher to get hurt, though he's not on the DL yet.

News: The Cubs recalled Wells from Triple-A Iowa, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Impact: This isn't a merit-based promotion for Wells, but rather one reflecting an immediate need in the bullpen following Kerry Wood's sudden retirement.

News: The Cubs acquired Hill from the Reds for cash considerations, the Chicago Tribune reports. Hill will be available for Saturday night's game against the White Sox.
Impact: The Cubs have been losing catchers like Spinal Tap used to lose drummers. Hill probably will be the primary catcher until one of the top three Cubs' catchers gets healthy.

News: Soriano went 3-for-4 with a double and a two-run home run in the Cubs' loss to the White Sox on Saturday.
Impact: Soriano did not hit a home run through the Cubs' first 35 games, but he now has three over their last five. He boasts a healthy .310 batting average through 15 May games with six doubles and three homers.

News: Dempster allowed four runs on seven hits in six innings against the White Sox on Saturday to take his second loss of the season.
Impact: Dempster remains winless through seven starts despite an ERA of 2.28 and WHIP of 1.06 thanks to an unimpressive Cubs offense. A strong wind helped the White Sox hit two home runs off him Saturday, but he entered play with just one allowed in six outings. Dempster owns 10-and-5 rights, but the club may try to encourage him to waive that privilege as the trading deadline nears.

News: The Cubs recalled Wells from Triple-A Iowa and he will pitch out of the bullpen after Kerry Wood's retirement Friday.
Impact: Wells was 0-1 with a 6.23 ERA in two starts with Chicago earlier this season.

News: The Chicago Cubs have reacquired Hill in a deal with the Cincinnati Reds for cash considerations.
Impact: The 33-year-old Hill returns to the Cubs after spending all or part of the past five seasons in the organization from 2007-11. He batted .208 with seven home runs and 63 RBI in 252 games with the Cubs during his first stint. Hill was batting .195 this season with a homer and five RBIs for Pensacola - the Reds' Double-A affiliate.

News: Soto (knee) was officially placed on the disabled list Saturday, the Cubs' official Twitter page reports.
Impact: Soto is expected to miss 3-4 weeks following arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. His roster spot was filled by right-hander Randy Wells, who will join the team Saturday. Welington Castillo figures to handle catching duties most days with Soto injured, but Blake Lalli was called up to help out.

News: Stewart is not in the lineup for Saturday's game against the White Sox, ESPN Chicago's Doug Padilla reports.
Impact: Joe Mather will start at third base, as is often the case when the Cubs face a lefty. They haven't seen many so far this year but are slated to face John Danks on Saturday, J.A. Happ on Tuesday, and Wandy Rodriguez on Wednesday. Stewart doesn't always sit against lefties, but chances are he will be out of the lineup for at least two of the three. He has a .259/.344/.481 batting line in May after a dismal April, and is worth a look in deeper formats.

News: Samardzija pitched into the eighth in a loss against the White Sox on Friday.
Impact: He allowed three runs on a pair of homers, striking out eight while hitting a batter. Samardzija is 4-2 with a 3.00 ERA this season, striking out 53 in 51 innings.

News: Soto has a torn meniscus in his left knee and will be re-evaluated to see if he needs to go on the disabled list.
Impact: Soto is off to a slow start, batting .161 with three homers and six RBIs this season. The 29-year-old catcher hit .228 with 17 homers and 54 RBIs for Chicago last season.

News: Samardzija struck out eight and walked two while giving up three runs on six hits over 7.1 innings in a loss to the White Sox on Friday.
Impact: He wasn't on the hook for a decision until Gordon Beckham hit a solo homer in the eighth inning. Samardzija also gave up a two-run shot in the first inning to Paul Konerko on Friday, but he continues to impress with strikeout-per-inning stuff and control much better than he's shown previously in his career.

News: Wood struck out the only batter he faced during a brief relief appearance Friday afternoon against the White Sox.
Impact: After announcing his retirement prior to Friday's game, Wood fanned Dayan Viciedo on three pitches and ended his career on a high note before exiting the game to a standing ovation at Wrigley Field.

News: Kerry Wood, who electrified baseball with a 20-strikeout game as a rookie in 1998 and then became a reliever after his career was slowed by numerous injuries, is expected to retire after pitching one more game for the Chicago Cubs.
Impact: The 34-year-old Wood was in uniform Friday against the White Sox in the opener of their first interleague series of the season. The Cubs declined comment, though manager Dale Sveum said Wood was available to pitch if needed.

News: Coleman pitched four innings in relief of Chris Volstad on Thursday, allowing one run. He could be a candidate to replace Volstad in the rotation should the Cubs opt for a change, the Chicago Daily Herald reports.
Impact: The Cubs haven't moved Volstad out of the rotation yet, but it seems as if change is imminent. Cubs brass will meet Friday to discuss what to do with Volstad. Travis Wood is probably the first choice, but Coleman has the advantage of already being on the active major league roster.

News: Cubs president Theo Epstein characterized Wood as the "logical choice" to replace Chris Volstad in the rotation should the team opt to go in that direction, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Impact: Volstad had another rough start Thursday. It's not a guarantee that a change is happening, but talking about ideal candidates is probably a good indicator that change is coming soon.

News: Marmol (hamstring) anticipates that he'll be ready to come off the DL when first eligible on May 27, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Impact: Marmol is slated to throw three to four outings on his rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa. The Cubs might come to a different conclusion regarding his readiness, however, depending on how well he pitches on that assignment.

News: Wood will be called up by the Cubs in time to make a start Tuesday against Houston, wsbt.com reports.
Impact: In anticipation of Wood's upcoming turn, Chris Volstad was optioned to Triple-A Iowa, though his roster spot was immediately filled by the recall of catcher Blake Lalli.

News: Soto, who will undergo arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee, is expected to miss 3-4 weeks, wsbt.com reports.
Impact: The Cubs have called up catcher Blake Lalli to help out behind the plate, with Soto slated to hit the DL, though technically he is still on the Cubs roster for Friday's game.

News: Volstad has been optioned to Triple-A Iowa, ESPN Chicago reports.
Impact: With Volstad headed down to the minors, Travis Wood will be called up in time to make a start for the Cubs on Tuesday against Houston.

News: Soto (knee) will require arthroscopic surgery, Carrie Muskat of MLB.com reports.
Impact: Cubs manager Dale Sveum said Friday that Soto is DL-bound, but this especially bad news for the 29-year-old catcher. Milwaukee's Corey Hart missed about a month following an arthroscopic procedure in early May, but it's uncertain how long Soto will be out. Look for the Cubs to call up a catcher, possibly either Blake Lalli or Juan Apodaca, to help out Welington Castillo behind the plate.

News: Soto (knee) has a slight tear in his meniscus and will be placed on the disabled list, likely prior to Friday's game, Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Impact: Soto was scratched from Thursday's lineup, and Cubs skipper Dale Sveum confirmed Friday that Soto is headed for the DL. Welington Castillo will be behind the plate Friday for his third game in the last four days, so look for the Cubs to call up another catcher to help him out while Soto recovers.

News: Castillo is in Friday's starting lineup, the Cubs' official Twitter page reports.
Impact: It will be Castillo's third time behind the plate in the last four days with Geovany Soto (knee) dealing with an injury. The 25-year-old Castillo is hot of late, with five hits in his last 13 at-bats, including a long ball and four RBI. If Soto is forced onto the DL, look for Castillo to handle catching duties frequently.

News: Soto (knee) is not in Friday's starting lineup, the Cubs' official Twitter page reports.
Impact: The 29-year-old was scratched from Thursday's lineup because of left knee inflammation, and he'll again be replaced by Welington Castillo on Friday. Soto has more strikeouts (19) than hits (15) this year, resulting in a .161 average. Consider him day-to-day.

News: Updating a prior note, Wood wants to make one more major league appearance, but is expected to announce his retirement shortly thereafter, Carrie Muskat of MLB.com reports.
Impact: The Cubs take on the White Sox on Friday afternoon, and it's possible Wood makes his final appearance in the majors. He has struggled so far this year, but he's likely hoping to end on a high note and walk off Wrigley Field to a nice ovation.

News: Wood will retire Friday, ESPN Chicago reports.
Impact: Wood was the fourth overall pick in 1995's amateur draft and was named the National League Rookie of the Year in 1998. That year he struck out an amazing 20 batters in a game against the Astros as a 20-year-old. The now 34-year-old is a two-time All-Star, but had allowed eight runs in just 8.1 innings of relief so far in 2012. He was moved to the bullpen in 2007 after posting losing records in the three seasons prior, but Wood walks away from the game with a career 3.67 ERA and a 10.3 K/9 ratio. Wood made 14 trips to the DL in his career.

News: Castro homered with a pair of RBI in Thursday's loss to Philadelphia.
Impact: Castro has just two homers so far this year, but power is not a big part of his game, as he hits for average (.323) and steals bases (12).

News: Volstad had his shortest outing of the season Thursday, allowing four runs and six hits in just two innings in a loss to the Phillies.
Impact: Volstad has just one quality start in eight this season, and is still searching for his first win.

News: Soto has been scratched from Thursday's game with left knee inflammation, the Cubs' official Twitter reports.
Impact: Wellington Castillo will take Soto's place in the lineup. Soto has been struggling all year and his conditioning has been called into question at times, so perhaps it isn't surprising that he's suffered an injury. Consider him day-to-day for now.

News: Garza pitched well but came away with nothing to show for it, as the bullpen let the game slip away in a loss to the Phillies on Wednesday.
Impact: Garza went 6.2 innings, gave up just two earned runs but only struck out two batters. After struggling with his control in his last start this is an improvement, as he walked one.

News: The Cubs placed Castillo on the 15-day disabled list with a left groin strain and recalled left-hander Scott Maine from Triple-A Iowa.
Impact: Manager Dale Sveum says Castillo tweaked his groin Sunday. The right-hander, who was obtained in the Rule 5 draft, is 0-1 with a 7.04 ERA in seven games this season.

News: DeWitt accepted an assignment to Triple-A Iowa, Doug Padilla of ESPN Chicago reports.
Impact: DeWitt was just 4-for-29 for the Cubs so far this year and hasn't ever lived up to his first-round draft status. He could be up again if he impresses in the minors, but right now his career is in limbo.

News: Maholm did not get a decision Tuesday in a 7-6 loss to the Cards. He allowed four runs and seven hits over six innings.
Impact: Maholm didn't allow more than one run in each of his previous four starts but gave up two in the first.

News: Barney had two hits Tuesday in a 7-6 loss to the Cards.
Impact: Barney is hitting a pedestrian .262.

News: Soriano finally homered Tuesday in a 7-6 loss to the Cards.
Impact: Soriano had two hits and his first jack. He's hitting .308 in his last 24 games.

News: Marmol (hamstring) played long toss Wednesday, but will need a rehab assignment before returning from the disabled list, Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Impact: Rafael Dolis has blown a save and lost a game in his last three appearances, but the struggles Marmol had earlier this year (6.35 ERA) don't lend much hope to him recapturing the closer job when healthy. Marmol will be eligible to come off the DL on May 27, but it's looking like he won't be ready for the majors by then.

News: Soto is back in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Phillies, the Cubs' official Twitter page reports.
Impact: Soto was given Tuesday off, but he'll be behind the plate Wednesday to catch Matt Garza. He'll bat seventh against right-hander Kyle Kendrick, and he'll look to extend his modest two-game hitting streak.

News: Wells struggled again Tuesday for Triple-A Iowa, giving up seven runs on eight hits over five innings. His struggles make it less likely that he'd replace Chris Volstad if the Cubs pull Volstad from the rotation, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Impact: Wells is now 2-2 with a 7.71 ERA in six starts at Iowa. Our guess is that Travis Wood is next in line should a change occur.

News: Dolis gave up a pair of hits will taking the loss in Tuesday's game against the Cards.
Impact: He entered the ninth inning with the game tied at five, but a leadoff single to Matt Holliday proved costly as Yadier Molina eventually drove in the game-winning run. Dolis has appeared on consecutive days after Tuesday's outing and may be unavailable to pitch Wednesday as a result.

News: Soriano went 2-for-4 in Tuesday's loss to the Cards while swatting his first home run of the season.
Impact: He's collected a hit in three straight games, which may have something to do with switching to a slightly lighter bat recently. The Cubs have shown remarkable patience with Soriano as their left fielder thus far, but it remains to be seen if they will be able to unload him to another club at any point this season even if they're willing to eat a significant portion of his remaining salary.

News: Maholm gave up four runs on seven hits over six innings in a no-decision against the Cards on Tuesday.
Impact: Maholm entered the start with wins in each of his previous four outings. Control has been a big part of his success thus far, but the three walks matched his season high and he'll ultimately need to keep the free passes to a minimum in order to sustain anything close to his current 1.17 WHIP.

News: Clevenger was officially diagnosed with an oblique strain along with fractured cartilage in his rib cage, ESPN Chicago reports.
Impact: There is no timetable for Clevenger's return, but it's believed that he'll recover quicker from the cartilage fracture than he would have with a more serious oblique strain. It will be interesting to see how the Cubs handle their catching situation if Welington Castillo is hitting once Clevenger is healthy enough to return. For now, there's no timetable for his activation.

News: The Cubs signed MacDougal to a minor league contract Tuesday, Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Impact: MacDougal was designated for assignment by the Dodgers after posting a 7.94 ERA in seven appearances. He'll likely have to prove himself in the minors before getting a look from the Cubs.

News: Castillo is in Tuesday's starting lineup, the Cubs' official Twitter page reports.
Impact: Castillo gets the start with Geovany Soto out of the lineup. The 25-year-old Castillo is just 3-for-17 in limited action, and doesn't appear to be on the verge of significant playing time.

News: Soto is not in Tuesday's starting lineup, the Cubs official Twitter page reports.
Impact: It looks like a routine day off for Soto, who has caught the team's last three games. Welington Castillo will be behind the plate as Paul Maholm takes the bump against Kyle Lohse (5-1 record, 2.08 ERA) and the Cardinals.

News: LaHair went 3-for-4 with a homer and two RBI against the Cardinals on Monday night.
Impact: The home run was the ninth of the season for LaHair, whose impressive start has helped him lock down a hold on the cleanup spot in the Chicago lineup. LaHair will continue to sit against lefties, but he's showing no signs of slowing down in the power department as we move into the middle of May.

News: Dempster struck out five and walked one while allowing four runs on nine hits over six innings Monday against the Cardinals.
Impact: Not surprisingly, Dempster failed to factor in the decision despite the Cubs' win. With a 41:11 K:BB over 41.1 innings, he's provided elite ratios and peripherals while carrying an 0-1 record over six starts this season. Dempster will take the ball for his next start Saturday against the White Sox at Wrigley Field.

News: Dolis had trouble loosening his back in his previous appearance Friday, but was feeling much better Sunday, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Impact: Dolis should be available for any save situation that appears Monday, if one surfaces.

News: Wood threw a scoreless eighth inning Sunday with the Cubs protecting a three-run lead, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. "He threw his curve ball today, cutter, had good velocity," manager Dale Sveum said. "That was really nice to see, to bounce back after a good outing last time - a two-inning good outing - and bounce back with another one."
Impact: This came after a two-inning effort Friday where Wood initially struggled with his command. Thirteen of his 19 pitches were for strikes.

News: Volstad isn't in "imminent danger" of losing his rotation spot and will start again Thursday against the Phillies, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Impact: The Cubs' approach here is sensible, given that they are in a transition year. They'll exercise extreme patience with younger players, particularly ones that are out of options like Volstad.

News: Stewart homered as part of a 2-for-5 game against Milwaukee on Sunday.
Impact: Stewart now has four home runs on the season to go with three doubles and a triple -- solid power despite his .190 average. Unfortunately, Stewart still strikes out too much to get his average too far above the Mendoza line -- he already has 26 in 114 at-bats (22.8%).

News: Samardzija took a no-decision Sunday against the Brewers, allowing one run on three hits over five innings. He struck out six in the solid effort.
Impact: Samardzija could have gone longer -- he threw just 91 pitches -- but he was lifted for a pinch-hitter in a fruitless attempt to pick up more runs in the fifth. As a result, he couldn't reap the benefits as the Cubs took the lead in the sixth.

News: Soriano, who hasn't homered yet this season, is now using a lighter bat, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Impact: Soriano went down from 33.5 ounces to 32.25 ounces, though manager Dale Sveum wanted him to make an even more drastic change.

News: Garza pitched five innings in Friday's 8-7, 13-inning loss to the Brew Crew.
Impact: Garza gave up one run and three hits while he walked five in a 93-pitch effort.

News: LaHair went 0 for 6 in Friday's 8-7, 13-inning loss to the Brew Crew.
Impact: It looks like pitchers are starting to figure out LaHair, who has three hist in 15 at-bats.

News: Johnson had two hits in Friday's 8-7, 13-inning loss to the Brew Crew.
Impact: Johnson and his .191 average aren't impressing anybody.

News: Soriano had two hits in Friday's 8-7, 13-inning loss to the Brew Crew.
Impact: Soriano also walked in consecutive games for the first time.

News: DeJesus had a pinch-hit grand slam in the seventh and drove in five runs in Friday's 8-7, 13-inning loss to the Brew Crew.
Impact: DeJesus has five hits in his last three contests.

News: Marmol left Friday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers with two outs in the seventh inning Friday night with a strained right hamstring.
Impact: Marmol, who lost his job as the Cubs' closer last week, had given up a run on a hit and a walk in two-thirds of an inning. He had a 1-2 count on Corey Hart when catcher Wellington Castillo visited the mound and summoned manager Dale Sveum. Marmol threw two practice pitches and was removed for Michael Bowden.

News: Travis Wood will start Sunday for the Chicago Cubs in place of Garza, who was scratched for a second consecutive day due to a virus.
Impact: Cubs manager Dale Sveum said Garza will most likely pitch the series opener in Milwaukee on Friday.

News: Dempster's bad luck continued Tuesday as he failed a fifth time to earn his first in of the season.
Impact: Dempster gave up one run and six hits in seven innings of a loss to the Braves. He left with the lead once again before the bullpen blew it. Dempster is 0-1 with a 1.02 ERA. He'll take on the Cardinals next.

News: Stewart was out of the lineup Sunday because of an illness but had a pinch-hit single in the ninth inning and scored the tying run in an eventual 4-3 win.
Impact: Jeff Baker and Blake DeWitt, designated for assignment Sunday, were also among the team's sick players. Stewart returned to the starting lineup for Monday's series opener with Atlanta.

News: The Chicago Cubs recalled infielder Adrian Cardenas from Triple-A Iowa before Monday night's game against the Atlanta Braves and optioned left-hander Travis Wood to their top minor league club.
Impact: Wood had a no-decision in his Cubs debut Sunday, limiting the Dodgers to three runs on three hits and three walks in six innings.

News: The Chicago Cubs recalled infielder Adrian Cardenas from Triple-A Iowa before Monday night's game against the Atlanta Braves and optioned left-hander Travis Wood to their top minor league club.
Impact: Cardenas, who joins a major league roster for the first time, was batting .319 at Iowa. He was claimed off waivers from Oakland in February. Cardenas was initially selected by the Phillies in the supplemental round of the 2006 draft and then traded to the A's in the Joe Blanton deal in 2008.

News: Wood allowed three runs in six innings in his first start of the season, Sunday's 4-3, 11-inning win over the Dodgers.
Impact: Wood was called up from Triple-A Iowa to fill in for Matt Garza, who was suffering from the flu.

News: LaHair continued his torrid start to the season, going 3 for 4 in Sunday's 4-3, 11-inning win over the Dodgers to raise his batting average to .390.
Impact: LaHair has reached base in 24 straight games.