Will Hendry make trade?

Don't expect the Cubs to pull off a blockbuster deal this week. And don't expect Jim Hendry to come away from the non-waiver trade deadline empty-handed.

The Cubs still are looking at relievers, especially a left-hander who can pick up some of Sean Marshall's burden in the bullpen.

The Baltimore Orioles' George Sherrill and Washington Nationals' Joe Beimel are among their targets, but they also will weigh that need against how recently acquired lefty B.J. Ryan looks tonight in his organizational debut for Class AAA Iowa.

''It's hard to predict,'' Hendry said Monday. ''Nobody ever goes to work when you're in the race and doesn't want to try to do something that might help. And sometimes not the big splashy things that we've done in the past.''

In other words, don't expect Roy Halladay or Cliff Lee.

''Sometimes it might just be an incrementally better move,'' Hendry said, ''or something that makes you a little stronger here or there, which we'll try to do by Friday. I don't know if that will happen, but we'll try.''

That could mean a left-handed hitter off the bench or a backup catcher if one materializes -- in part depending on whether Geovany Soto continues to progress from his injured rib cage.

Manager Lou Piniella said he anticipates Soto will need a minor-league rehab assignment before returning in the next week or two, as the club hopes.

Even without the sale of the club to Tom Ricketts being completed, sources say Hendry has enough payroll flexibility to make a short-term move even if it adds a mid-level veteran salary -- especially considering the prorated value of any 2009 salary is now less than half the contract value.

Insiders expect Hendry to pull off a trade this week.

''He always likes to do something if he can at the deadline, so I know that he's been talking to quite a few teams,'' manager Lou Piniella said.

Last week, Piniella said the Cubs ''might need a couple hitters here at the trading deadline.'' The next day, he said the Cubs still were looking for that left-handed bat they sought last winter.

On Monday, Piniella was mum on his wish list.

''That's Jim's department,'' he said.