Mexican pitcher Javier Assad is closer to returning to the mound with the Chicago Cubs, and both he and manager Craig Counsell believe his return could be key in the fight for the lead in the League Central National.

After overcoming a left oblique injury that has sidelined him for much of the year, Assad is scheduled to make a rehab start for the Triple-A Iowa Cubs on Wednesday.

"I'm trying to get back to 100 percent," the 27-year-old, who turns 28 this week, said through a translator. "Once I get back, I'll help out with whatever the team needs."

Assad was initially injured during spring training and re-injured in April during another rehab outing. However, last week he managed to pitch three scoreless innings in the Arizona Complex League, a positive sign in his recovery process.

"It's been a tough season for Javy. He was injured most of the spring and hasn't been able to pitch in the regular season," manager Craig Counsell explained. But we have some serious baseball ahead of us, and he can be a key piece for us.

Assad could bolster both the rotation and the bullpen

While his current preparation is as a starter, Counsell doesn't rule out the possibility of Javier Assad being used in the bullpen depending on the team's needs and his physical condition by mid-August.

The Cubs have suffered significant losses to their pitching staff: Justin Steele had elbow surgery after just four starts, and Jameson Taillon has also been out with a calf strain. With a 60-43 record entering Saturday, Chicago is in a tight race for the division lead with Milwaukee.

Javier Assad's MLB numbers

In 2024, Assad was a reliable rotation fixture with 29 starts, a 7-6 record, and a 3.73 ERA in a career-high 147 innings pitched.

In his three major league seasons, The Mexican has a 14-11 overall record with a 3.40 ERA in 70 games, including 23 relief appearances.