Joe Maddon said Thursday that he expects Craig Kimbrel to be ready to pitch in about three weeks.

"I would imagine in the position that's he's been in, he had some kind of a strategy of program mapped out," Maddon said. "The first thing you do is find out and then set up program. You think about a three-week window, normally it sounds right. Think about relief pitchers in spring training. Conventionally it would be like that kind of a window. But you've got to talk to the guy first and see what he's been doing."

Kimbrel turned down a $17.9 million qualifying offer from the Boston Red Sox last November and remained a free agent for seven months.

The Cubs have blown 11 saves this season.