Cubs Moving Mike Montgomery Back To Bullpen

(CBS) After making five starts while serving as the sixth rotation member for the past several weeks, Cubs left-hander Mike Montgomery is headed back to the bullpen.

Starting Monday night, Montgomery will again serve as a reliever as the Cubs want to get him back in rhythm for what his postseason role will be. Although Montgomery is back in the bullpen, the Cubs are still going to fill the sixth starter spot with one more "bullpen day" to keep their five starters fresh, manager Joe Maddon said.

"He won't get a start necessarily," Maddon said of Montgomery. "He'll be a part of a bullpen day. We have to establish a bullpen day ... We want to get him in the bullpen a little bit."

Maddon anticipates Chicago's bullpen day coming at some point in the four-game series at Pittsburgh from Sept. 26-29.

"It's getting back to normalcy for these guys, except when we get to Pittsburgh, I think that's where we're going to interject the sixth guy," Maddon said.

"You still have the whole week before the playoffs begin, so you still have plenty of time for rest for a lot of these guys. As it's played out to this point, we felt comfortable with getting some guys back on normal rest, knowing that the off day (Thursday) is going to kick it and also that the day in Pittsburgh will be relevant also."

Montgomery is 4-5 with a 2.66 ERA and 1.17 WHIP this season.