Tapani Is Latest Cub With Arm Problem

It seems the Chicago Cubs have more starting pitchers who are hurt than healthy.

Kevin Tapani, who left Monday’s home opener after three innings because of a sore right shoulder, will miss his scheduled start Saturday in Milwaukee as a precautionary measure.

Tapani will throw on the side today to see if the pain returns. He suffered what was initially diagnosed as a muscle strain when he made a check-swing while batting against Houston last week. The condition flared up in Monday’s loss to the Reds.

“My concern is getting it healthy first,” Tapani, a 19-game winner, said Wednesday after resting his shoulder for a second straight day.

“You don’t want it to drag through and then in August not be able to make a start. You want to go out there and let the game dictate when you come out, not whether you’re feeling good.”

Terry Mulholland, who’s made the transition from reliever to starter and back the last two seasons, is slated to start Saturday at County Stadium in Tapani’s place.

Tapani’s condition is among a series of arm problems for the Cubs.

National League rookie of the year Kerry Wood is out for the season after surgery to repair a torn elbow ligament. Reliever Terry Adams is also on the disabled list with a sore elbow, and on Tuesday the Cubs placed right-handed spot starter and reliever Kurt Miller on the disabled list with a strained rib cage muscle.

There’s also Jeremi Gonzalez, on the disabled list while he recovers from elbow surgery last year.

The Cubs, looking for pitchers, signed Hideo Nomo to a triple-A contract at the end of spring training. He will make the second of three scheduled starts Friday for Iowa before it’s determined if he’s ready to pitch for the major league team.

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Right-hander Erik Hanson signed a triple-A contract with the Florida Marlins.

Hanson, 33, was in the Kansas City Royals’ spring training camp before being released. He was 0-3 with a 6.24 earned-run average last year in 11 games with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Hanson has a career record of 89-84 and was an All-Star for the Boston Red Sox in 1995. He worked out with the Marlins on Wednesday at Shea Stadium before joining minor-league affiliate Calgary.

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Pittsburgh Pirate right-hander Francisco Cordova has stiffness in his right shoulder and won’t start Saturday in Cincinnati. He may go on the disabled list. . . . The Braves optioned right-hander Joe Winkelsas to double-A Greenville of the Southern League and recalled right-hander Justin Speier from triple-A Richmond of the International League.