The Chicago Cubs sent outfielder Kevin Alcantara back to Triple-A Iowa on Thursday, a roster move announced ahead of their weekend series against the Cincinnati Reds.

The Cubs had an off day after dropping their series to the Arizona Diamondbacks. They open against Cincinnati on Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field.

Alcantara’s option to the minors was listed as a standalone transaction Thursday. A corresponding roster move is expected Friday morning.

One possibility is a recall of James Triantos, who has shuttled between the majors and Triple-A more than once this season.

Alcantara is 24 and has appeared in parts of three major league seasons with Chicago. He has yet to receive a long look at the plate in any of those years.

This season he has 25 at-bats with the Cubs. He is hitting .240 with one home run, six hits and 11 strikeouts.

Across his brief big-league career he has 46 at-bats, a .239 average and 16 strikeouts.

The Cubs have cooled after a strong stretch that followed the All-Star break. They have gone 4-6 in their last 10 games and sit at 76-58 overall.

They remain in a tight race with the Philadelphia Phillies for the top National League wild-card spot. That positioning would determine home-field advantage in an October series.

Chicago is not mathematically out of the NL Central picture, but the Milwaukee Brewers hold a 6.5-game lead. The Cubs would need a hot streak to close that gap.

The upcoming homestand against the Reds gives Chicago a chance to regain momentum in front of its own fans.

Alcantara had been with the club during recent series, including games in Seattle and at Wrigley against the White Sox. He scored and celebrated with teammates in those contests.

The organization is balancing present needs with development time for younger outfielders as the schedule tightens in the final weeks of the regular season.

Roster flexibility remains important as the Cubs try to stay in the playoff mix while evaluating depth options at Iowa.