Left-hander Wade Miley provides much-welcomed experience and an ability to work at a brisk pace that pleases Cubs manager David Ross.
But Miley, 35, threw only 41 pitches in four scoreless innings in his first rehab start Thursday at Triple-A Iowa. He is scheduled to throw a bullpen session before the Cubs’ game Sunday against the Dodgers that will determine the next step in his recovery from a sore left elbow that has delayed his debut with the team.
‘‘We’ll see how I feel and go from there before we jump to any conclusions,’’ Miley said Saturday.
Miley perhaps was too efficient in his rehab start. He threw 15 pitches in the bullpen after his stint and stressed the biggest challenge for him was getting up and down after each inning.
The Cubs have another day off Thursday, so it might behoove them to give Miley another rehab start before he joins the rotation during a stretch of 14 consecutive games without a scheduled day off that begins Friday.
When Miley is ready, Ross can’t wait to insert him into the rotation.
‘‘He’s a guy who knows how to compete,’’ Ross said of Miley, who is 97-92 in an 11-year career. ‘‘He’s been a part of winning, a part of a lot of winning. He just knows how to navigate a lineup.’’
As of now, Miley’s status won’t dictate what happens with fellow left-hander Justin Steele, who hasn’t pitched past the third inning in any of his last three starts.
Steele’s next start was pushed back to Monday in San Diego to stretch the rotation. Assuming right-hander Kyle Hendricks starts Tuesday, the Cubs still will need a starter for the series finale Wednesday.
It won’t be right-hander Alec Mills, who is expected to throw off a mound soon after suffering an injury to his right quadriceps while recovering from a strained lower back that has sidelined him since the end of spring training.
Wired for sound
As a former ESPN analyst, Ross said he doesn’t mind if one of his players is asked to wear a microphone to talk to the broadcast team while playing in a regular-season game.
‘‘As long as it’s not a distraction, I think you would give it to somebody you feel can handle that,’’ said Ross, who forgot that he was wired during the 2016 World Series until he fell and landed on the microphone pack attached to his back.
Ross said he thinks having selected players wired to talk with announcers is ‘‘good for the game. And I’m sure the fans love it.’’
Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner is scheduled to wear a mic for ESPN’s ‘‘Sunday Night Baseball’’ game against the Cubs.
Simmons’ assignment
Shortstop Andrelton Simmons went 1-for-3 but didn’t have any fielding chances in his first game on a rehab assignment for Iowa.
Simmons, who hasn’t played this season because of inflammation in his right shoulder, is scheduled to handle designated-hitter duties Sunday and take Monday off before his injury is assessed as he progresses in his recovery.
Settling a score
The Cubs’ 7-0 loss to the Dodgers in the first game of their doubleheader Saturday ended their streak of scoring in a major-league-high 70 consecutive games, their longest streak since scoring in 71 games in a row from May 11 to July 31, 2019.
