Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Tuesday that Assad was diagnosed with a mild oblique strain and will be shut down from throwing for a few days, Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

The shutdown period is expected to be brief, so the right-hander may not end up missing too much of camp. Assad is poised to compete for the final spot in Chicago's rotation once healthy, but too much of a delayed start to spring training could affect his buildup for the regular season.