Cubs closer Kerry Wood missed the All-Star game a week ago with a blister on his right index finger.

That same finger blister may require more time to heal than a weekend of rest.

Manager Lou Piniella didn't sound optimistic Sunday about the chances of Wood avoiding a trip to the disabled list.

''Truthfully, we see no way,'' manager Lou Piniella said Sunday, ESPN reported. ''We're coming to the point where we're going to have to come to a conclusion on this thing."

Wood hasn't seen action since picking up his 24th save of the season on July 11 against the San Francisco Giants.  He has seen little improvement in that blister, and the Cubs expected to miss at least the next two games against the Diamondbacks in Arizona.

''We wanted to wait 'til we got to Arizona," Piniella said. "But if he's not going to be able to pitch Monday night or Tuesday, maybe even Wednesday -- we'll see.''

Without Wood's arm and 3.02 ERA, the division-leading Cubs have turned to Carlos Marmol to fill in the closer's role. Marmol replaced Wood in the All-Star game, and has a 4.05 ERA this season in 53 1/3 innings.

Marmol shut down the Astros in a non-save situation Sunday, as the Cubs won 9-0. This season has been a down year for the 25-year-old right-hander, after he sported a 1.43 ERA in 69 1/3 innings in 2007.

If the Cubs decide to place Wood on the DL, he'd be eligible to return Sunday at Wrigley Field against Florida. Left-hander Scott Eyre, who's fully recovered from a strained groin, could take his roster spot, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Monday.

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