CHICAGO — This Chicago Cubs team is built on elite defense and one of the best and deepest offenses in baseball. But it can’t be ignored how the Cubs have gotten through a season with so many injuries to their pitching staff.As Chicago’s injured arms continue to inch closer to health, the resilient Cubs will now have to make decisions about who will be a part of this team and which pitchers are most valuable over the next, potentially, two-plus months.One pitcher who may best exemplify this group’s versatility and willingness to do whatever is asked is Javier Assad.Assad has made 22 appearances, 10 starts and has entered games as a multi-inning reliever or even one-inning usage. The 29-year-old right-hander has been optioned to Iowa three times, including during spring training, and continues to perform at a high level despite regularly switching roles and never knowing where his next stop may be.“This is how you put together good teams,” manager Craig Counsell said. “It’s not always going to be this cookie-cutter, this is how it’s gonna be in terms of roles. You have to prepare for it not to be that way. There’s too much thinking that it has to be that way. It’s not going to be that way over a baseball season for a good team. You’re going to need players to do that.”Counsell is willing to think outside the box. As far as he’s concerned, he has to do that. It’s the only path to success. So whether it’s Assad, Colin Rea, David Peterson (who is likely headed back to the rotation and will be used, at minimum, as the bulk-innings pitcher on Saturday) and, soon enough, Edward Cabrera, roles are constantly shifting to the needs of the team.This group continues to evolve. The rotation may be close to set for now. But it seems like the bullpen is in flux. Here’s what we’re hearing on soon-to-be returning pitchers.A little rust is to be expected with Daniel Palencia, who has been out for some time. (Charles LeClaire / Imagn Images)• Counsell said Daniel Palencia will be activated before Friday’s game, giving the Cubs a big piece of the bullpen back. It’s unlikely that Palencia immediately slides into the closer’s role. Jacob Webb has been brilliant in that spot. But this is some much-needed stuff being returned to the group.Palencia, who has been out since mid-June with an elbow issue, struggled mightily in a rehab outing at Double A during which he retired just two, walked three batters and hit another in a four-run appearance. The Cubs noticed his front side was too high in that appearance, and they worked with him to lock his mechanics back in. In his next outing, he worked a perfect frame. Then at Triple A on Sunday, he struck out three batters while he was back to 98-100 mph with his fastball.Palencia hasn’t missed this much time in a while, so a little rust remains to be expected. Whether Counsell can get him in some easy situations to allow him to fully get back in a rhythm is to be seen, but they can certainly use the best version of the 26-year-old at the back end of the bullpen in September and the postseason.Do the Cubs send Assad down with the return of Palencia looming? He and Ryan Rolison (who isn’t going anywhere) are the only pitchers with options in the bullpen. If they decide to keep Assad, a veteran could be looking at getting designated for assignment. Will the Cubs choose keeping depth or sticking with their best eight in the bullpen?• Ben Brown is expected to throw a live BP on Friday in Arizona, which Counsell called “a big step.”Does Counsell see Brown filling a role as a multi-inning reliever?“The goal is for him to pitch and be healthy,” Counsell said. “And then figure out what’s the date here, how much does he need to pitch not in the major leagues to feel like he’s ready to pitch in the major leagues and then make a decision. The build-up in terms of innings is less important than that. Let’s get a healthy player and then figure out what he can do.”Ben Brown is expected to throw a live BP later this week. (Geoff Stellfox / Getty Images)The Cubs can also use Brown as they did early in the season. Brown would come in for two-inning bursts and, before he shifted to the rotation, he had some one-inning appearances, as well. But as his conversion to being a starter in the middle of the season showed, they can build Brown up over September as well if they think it makes sense.Brown has looked great in bullpens. If his live session on Friday goes well, the Cubs hope to get him in an Arizona bridge game on Tuesday, then out to an affiliate the following weekend.• A wild card for the bullpen is Shelby Miller. The veteran is coming back from major surgery (Tommy John) and is on pace to return this season. But Counsell has been careful about assuming that Miller will be a factor for the big-league club this season.“This is a longer ramp-up because we have to make sure Shelby can recover,” Counsell said. “He can’t pitch on a schedule; he has to be a standard member of the bullpen. And that’s probably the thing that will take a little longer.”This week will be a big one for Miller, who is expected to make three appearances. Availability is so important for relievers because having too many days when a pitcher is down impacts the other arms in the bullpen. Miller has been sitting 95-96 mph with his fastball with good shape and extension. His splitter and gyro slider have looked good, while his sweeper looks a little behind the other three pitches.• Veteran lefty Hoby Milner, who underwent an appendectomy earlier this summer, will make another rehab appearance on Thursday with Iowa. Justin Steele continues his methodical rehab process as Counsell said he’s on the “precipice” of facing hitters. It remains to be seen if he can get back to the big leagues this season. Just getting in game action, at any level, before the end of the season would be nice for Steele, who had season-ending surgery in 2025, and then in April suffered a flexor strain in his elbow.As for another lefty who once was a big part of the bullpen this season, the news isn’t as good.“We’re not going to see Riley Martin this year,” Counsell said. “He’s throwing, but it’s been up and down for him. If he keeps recovering well, we want him to finish the season on a good note. If he doesn’t recover well, then it’s back to the drawing board.”That could mean that surgery becomes an option for Martin. The rookie went from near-unknown to a huge part of the bullpen early in the year. In 8 1/3 innings, Martin posted a 2.16 ERA with a 32.3 percent strikeout rate and 6.5 percent walk rate.• The good news on Hunter Harvey from nearly a month ago has once again shifted. It seemed like he was on pace to make some rehab appearances, but his arm is clearly not responding as hoped.“We’re not in a great place with Harvey,” Counsell said. “He’s struggling to get going. We are running out of time there. The next couple days should tell us what direction we’re going there.”The oft-injured Harvey was given a $6 million deal in the offseason with the hope that he could stay healthy and deliver as a dominant late-inning option. When he’s been on the mound in his career, Harvey has been exactly that. But staying healthy has always been an issue for Harvey, and it’s looking like another lost season for the talented righty.