Tommy Birch

tbirch@dmreg.com

Adam Warren sat in a meeting with some of Chicago’s front office and field staff this week and listened to them outline a plan that included a new role, a brief stop in the minor leagues, and an unorthodox approach for the team’s pitching staff.

Warren arrived in Des Moines Thursday for what is supposed to be a short stint with the Iowa Cubs, who split a doubleheader with the Nashville Sounds at Principal Park.

“They had a plan," Warren said. “It wasn’t just like, you’re going to go down and start and then we’ll see where it goes. They were like, you’re coming back up to go to a six-man rotation and give some guys an extra day.”

The 28-year-old Warren was sent down to Iowa to prepare for his new role with the Cubs as a starter — at least for now. Warren, who has some experience starting, has spent the entire season in the bullpen, where he has compiled a 3-1 mark with a 4.56 ERA. The move to the minors allowed Warren to gradually increase his workload and ease into the new role.

Warren said Theo Epstein, Chicago’s president of baseball operations, Jed Hoyer, the team’s executive vice president/general manager, manager Joe Maddon, and pitching coach Chris Bosio laid out the plan to him during a meeting. The plan included Warren getting sent to the minors and getting two starts with Iowa. The first comes Saturday at Oklahoma City.

“It’ll be limited,” Iowa manager Marty Pevey said of Warren’s pitch count. “We’ve got to get him going. I think it’s more about fastball command right now.”

After the two starts, Warren said the plan is for him to return to the big leagues and start before the All-Star break to help the Cubs’ pitching staff during a busy stretch. What happens after the break is still up in the air, but at the very least Warren said he can add another option in case the team needs a starter or wants to give someone in the rotation some rest.

Warren didn’t like being sent back to the minors but was happy to know he’d be back up eventually.

“Mixed feelings,” Warren said. “I think just because it feels like a demotion. It is a demotion but it’s with a plan for a reason.”

Starting is nothing new for Warren. He spent his first four big league seasons with the New York Yankees, where he appeared in 147 games, including 20 starts. The Yankees dealt him to the Cubs as part of the Starlin Castro trade. His last start came on Sept. 26, 2015.

“Even out of the bullpen, I still throw four pitches so I consider myself like a starter even though I’m pitching like one inning, maybe,” Warren said. “I think not a whole lot changes. You’ve just got to learn how to get back in that starter mentality.”

Warren, who drove to Des Moines with his wife, brought three bats — two that he already had and one given to him by Kyle Schwarber. Hitting again is just one other thing he’ll have to get used to with the change. Whatever his role is, Warren said he’s enjoying being part of the season the Cubs have put together.

“Its been great,” he said. “It’s just a great clubhouse, great group of guys, and they understand the importance of having fun playing baseball.”

Iowa won Game 1 of the doubleheader 3-0. Nasvhille won Game 2 7-4. Both games were seven innings.