CHICAGO — As the Cubs search for pitching reinforcements ahead of next Thursday’s MLB trade deadline, an internal boost walked into the visiting clubhouse prior to Saturday’s Crosstown Classic game against the White Sox.

Right-hander Javier Assad, who hasn’t pitched in the majors this season because of a left oblique injury, was at Rate Field with the team and speaking with the staff before he joins Triple-A Iowa on a rehab assignment Wednesday.

“Honestly, really happy,” Assad said in Spanish. “I had missed being here, seeing the guys, being with the team. I haven’t missed a game — I’ve watched every game on TV. But it’s going to be different being here in the dugout, cheering them on and — with God’s favor — I can be by their side, which is what I love.

“I’m happy. I feel close to the team.”

Assad originally suffered the injury in spring training, then aggravated it during an April 22 rehab-assignment appearance with Iowa. He pitched three scoreless innings in the Arizona Complex League on Thursday.

The 27-year-old isn’t the flashy, headline-grabbing rotation boost for whom Cubs fans constantly refresh their social media accounts. But he’s still an important piece and a reminder that, despite potential external additions in the next few days, returning some pitchers to health is just as important.

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Assad made 29 starts for the Cubs last season, posting a 3.73 ERA in 147 innings and being a reliable rotation piece, much as he has his entire career. Since debuting in 2022, Assad has a 3.40 ERA in 294 innings, proving he can be a trusted arm in the big leagues.

That kind of contribution would be massive for a team that’s without two other members of its projected Opening Day rotation — Justin Steele (season-ending elbow surgery) and Jameson Taillon (calf strain).

“You see kind of what we’re going through right now, and you want to have options for both performances and injuries, frankly,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “Then, at a certain point, after July 31, this is your organization, and you got to rely on the guys in the organization.

“From that perspective, we’re going to need all those guys, probably more — a name that we haven’t seen yet or talked about yet — to help us get through a season.”

The Cubs will continue to stretch out Assad as a starter, meaning he likely won’t be back in the big leagues for at least a couple of weeks. But his career arc means he could be a weapon for Counsell down the stretch.

Of Assad’s 70 career appearances, 23 have come in relief, meaning the Cubs could use him in shorter bursts if Taillon is healthy and they make an addition or two to their rotation. Assad served in that hybrid role in 2023, posting a 3.05 ERA in 109.1 innings, and did so for Team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic, too. Assad pitched 5.2 scoreless innings across two relief appearances, with his velocity on his four-seam fastball touching 97 mph in the tournament.

“He delivered quality innings,” Counsell said. “He’d done it in various roles, so that’s something you miss for sure.

“I think we’re going to prepare him as a starter. But you certainly have to consider everything when you get to mid-August.”