DENVER – Chicago Cubs pitcher John Lackey is hopeful that his shoulder soreness isn’t serious, but he won’t know how long he’ll be out until he picks up a baseball again. The Cubs placed Lackey on the disabled list earlier this week after an MRI showed a strain.

“We won’t know anything until I throw,” Lackey said Saturday in speaking publicly for the first time since he went on the DL. “I don’t think it’s anything too serious right now. Just working with trainers right now. Getting ready for when I start throwing again.”

Hindsight is 20/20, but it probably wasn’t a good idea for Lackey to warm up twice during extra innings in the span of two weeks. This came along with his regular workload and put a strain on the 37-year-old’s right shoulder.

“I just work here,” Lackey said. “I’ve been pretty durable. I don’t think it’s anything too crazy.”

John Lackey doesn't know how long he'll be out after a shoulder strain put him on the disabled list. AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski

Lackey said he “prides” himself on being able to throw 200 innings, which he has done six times in his career, including last season with the St. Louis Cardinals. Even after he missed his start Saturday, he leads the Cubs in innings pitched with 158⅓, but 200 is in doubt now.

“If that didn’t happen, I’d be kind of bummed,” he said. “Some of the reasons were out of my control.”

Lackey didn’t fight going on the disabled list after he underwent the MRI, and he believes there will be plenty of time to prepare for the playoffs.

“If I can pitch, I’m going to pitch. I’m not taking a vacation,” Lackey said. “It’s not like it takes me a whole lot of time to get ramped back up. I’ll be able to go back out there pretty quick, as soon as I start throwing.”

Lackey wasn’t brought in -- nor is he needed right now -- for August or September contests. The Cubs want him at his best for “big boy” games in October. Time will tell if he can be that guy. Right now, he knew he needed the DL time.

“After the MRI and when I tried to throw,” Lackey said, “it wasn’t a great day that day.”