Cubs still have goals for final 13

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs secured their main objective when they clinched the National League Central title last week.

But there are still more goals as they proceed through the season's final 13 games -- including their final six home regular season games this week.

That run begins with Monday's opener of a three-game series with the Cincinnati Reds (63-86) and concludes with three against the St. Louis Cardinals this weekend before closing the 2016 campaign with seven road games.

"You want win 100 games and clinch home field," said Cubs manager Joe Maddon on Sunday. "There are still some short term goals that lead to long-term benefits. Yeah, we want all that.

"But you just do that one day at a time and then however the chips fall then you react to that moment."

The Cubs (94-55) send right-hander Jason Hammel (14-9. 3.60 ERA) against Reds righty Tim Adleman (2-4, 4.21 ERA) in Monday's opener.

Hammel, who makes his 29th start of the season, is 9-1 with a 1.77 ERA in 13 home starts. It's the second-best home record in baseball (trailing only teammate Kyle Hendricks).

In his last outing on Sept. 13 at St. Louis, Hammel allowed a pair of two-run home runs in a 4-2 Cubs loss.

Hammel is 3-1 with a 3.52 ERA in 11 games (10 starts) against Cincinnati. He has not allowed a run in his last three starts against the Reds, including two scoreless appearances this season.

Adleman will make his 11th career appearance and start and seventh since his Aug. 16 promotion from Triple-A Louisville. It will be his first career appearance against Chicago.

The Reds will likely be without shortstop Zack Cozart, who hasn't played since suffering a knee injury on Sept. 10.

"Zack (Cozart)'s knee hasn't responded to treatment," Reds manager Bryan Price said on Sunday. "I wouldn't put him out there unless there's no pain."

Billy Hamilton, out with a right knee contusion, is also unlikely to see any time.

"Billy is tenuous," Price said. "He's shown improvement but he's had zero baseball activity. I'm not going to say it's impossible for him to come back but it's improbable."

A Tuesday pitcher is still to be determined due to a full schedule that included a Saturday doubleheader loss to the Pirates.

"We will have three young starters," Price said. "Whoever the starter is on Tuesday, we want to go into that series as rested as possible but that's hard to do with the double header."

One ailing player could make a return to the Cubs lineup early this week.

Maddon said left fielder Jorge Soler underwent an MRI that turned up no issues after he suffered tightness in his side.

"There's nothing really bad," he said. "We're going to treat it like a day-to-day situation."