Chicago Cubs utility man Ben Zobrist has informed the team he's ready to return to the diamond, president of baseball operations Theo Epstein announced Friday, according to Jordan Bastian of MLB.com.
Zobrist is now preparing for a minor-league rehab assignment that the Cubs expect to begin by next weekend at the latest.
"We're thrilled (he's coming back)," Epstein said.
Epstein added Zobrist feels he's both mentally and physically ready to resume his baseball career, according to Kelly Crull of NBC Sports Chicago.
Zobrist took a personal leave of absence from the Cubs in early May after filing for legal separation from his wife, Juliana. He was placed on the restricted list May 7, and the Cubs have since been operating under the assumption his 2019 season was over.
It's unlikely Zobrist will be playing in major-league games anytime soon, however. Given the amount of time he's missed, Epstein said the best-case scenario would see the 38-year-old return to the big club in roughly a month, according to Crull.
He'll also have to be reinstated from the restricted list before Aug. 31 in order to be eligible for postseason play, according to Bastian.
Zobrist appeared in 26 games this season before leaving the team, hitting .241/.343/.253 with 10 RBIs, 14 walks, and 12 strikeouts over that span.
The 2016 World Series MVP is in the final season of a four-year, $56-million contract.
