Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Sunday that Assad (forearm) could be activated from the injured list prior to the All-Star break, Mike McGraw of the Chicago Daily Heraldreports.

EDGE Analysis

The right-hander landed on the shelf in late June with a strained forearm, but he wasn't shut down from throwing for long and had a bullpen session Friday. The Cubs have a doubleheader Saturday in St. Louis, and that would be a logicial point for him to be re-insterted into the rotation ahead of the All-Star break.