The Marlins are interested in acquiring Carlos Zambrano if the Cubs pick up a large chunk of his salary next season.

A story in the Venezuelan newspaper El Naciona said as much last week, reporting that new Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen has reached out to Zambrano and is interested in bringing the pitcher to Miami. The Venezuelan natives are close friends and a reunion makes sense for all involved parties. The Cubs activated Zambrano from the disqualified list after the regular season but will be aggressively shopping him over the winter. Zambrano, 30, is due $18 million in 2012 and has a $19.25 million vesting option for 2013. Big Z went 9-7 with a 4.82 ERA this season, but was 43-26 with a 3.96 ERA over the past four years. The Herald also speculates that the Marlins are interested in free agent starters C.J. Wilson and Mark Buehrle. The Marlins have ruled out a $100 million payroll next year, expecting it to be in the $80 million range.

According to a report in the Venezuelan newspaper El Nacional, new Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen has reached out to Carlos Zambrano and is interested in bringing the pitcher to Miami.

It makes sense, as the Venezuelan natives have been close friends for a while now. The Cubs recently activated Zambrano from the disqualified list but will be looking to shop him over the winter. He is due $18 million in 2012 and has a $19.25 million vesting option for 2013, but the El Nacional report suggests the Marlins would be willing to pay the right-hander's salary in deferred amounts. The Cubs would surely be OK with accepting next to nothing in return if the Marlins will eat Big Z's contract.

Cubs activated RHP Carlos Zambrano from the restricted list.

With the 2011 regular season all wrapped up, Big Z's timeout officially ends. He should be able to have a normal offseason program heading into spring training 2012. There are rumors that the Cubs intend to shop the overpaid right-hander on the trade market this winter.

Carlos Zambrano will not return to the Cubs this season.

Big Z's stint on the disqualified list is set to end on September 12, but the Cubs have told him to stay at home. He will resume being paid then, however. Set to make an outrageous $18 million salary in 2012, there's an almost zero percent chance Big Z does so in a Cubs uniform.

When asked on ESPN if he was open to Carlos Zambano pitching for the Cubs again, owner Tom Ricketts said, "I have a hard time imagining that."

Big Z was placed on the disqualified list and docked 30 days of pay after clearing out his locker and walking out on the team last Saturday. The Major League Baseball Players Association then filed a grievance against the Cubs Thursday, aiming to recover part or all of the $3 million that Zamrbano will lose via the club-issued punishment. Zambrano is under Cubs control in 2012 at $18 million and will be difficult to move unless Chicago swallows most of his contract.

The Major League Baseball Players Association filed a grievance against the Cubs Thursday evening on behalf of right-hander Carlos Zambrano.

Big Z was placed on the disqualified list and docked 30 days of pay after clearing out his locker and walking out on the team last Saturday. The MLBPA is aiming to recover part or all of the $3 million that Zamrbano will lose via the club-issued punishment. The 30-year-old right-hander has already apologized publicly for his actions. He is under Cubs control in 2012 at $18 million.

Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com reports that the players' union is expected to file a grievance on behalf of Carlos Zambrano by the end of the day Monday.

The Cubs placed Zambrano on the disqualified list on Saturday, which includes 30 days without pay and no contact with the team. As a result, Big Z stands to lose approximately $3 million of his $17.9 million salary for this season. While Zambrano's actions are well documented, it will be a tough case for the Cubs to make.

The players association will file a grievance Monday challenging the Cubs' placement of Carlos Zambrano on the disqualified list.

The Cubs placed Zambrano on the disqualified list this weekend, meaning he can't be paid and cannot have any contact with the team for 30 days. Because of Zambrano's past indiscretions, it remains to be seen what kind of case the Union will have. Casey Coleman will take Zambrano's spot in the rotation, starting Wednesday in Houston.

Cubs placed RHP Carlos Zambrano on the disqualified list.

That means Big Z will not be paid and cannot have any contact with the team for 30 days. After the month is up, MLB and the Player's Union will discuss what will happen next for the pitcher. The Union is also expected to file a grievance over the move, though with Zambrano's past indiscretions, it remains to be seen what kind of case they'll have. Zambrano's agent said his client is "not in the retirement mode" anymore, but at this point it seems very likely that his Cubs career is over. It would be a fitting end to a tumultuous stint with the Northsiders.

Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune reports that the Cubs are currently speaking to Carlos Zambrano's agents and the pitcher might wind up on the restricted list if the two sides aren't able to come together on some sort of agreement.

The details of the conversations are sketchy at this point, but we've got to believe the Cubs are trying to negotiate a buyout of Big Z's contract. Zambrano cleaned out his locker following Friday's start and said he's thinking of retiring, though he has yet to file any retirement papers. Big Z was on the restricted list last season and was sent to anger management counseling following his dugout incident with Derrek Lee. It's entirely possible, if not likely, that he's pitched his last game for the Cubs, but it's tough to predict what will happen at this point.

MLB Network's Peter Gammons reports that Carlos Zambrano and Kyle Farnsworth were among those that were placed on waivers Friday.

Teams place players on waivers often at this time of the year, and occasionally some names leak out. We'd be surprised if Farnsworth made it through unclaimed, but no one is going to claim Big Z with that contract, and it's possible he could end up getting dealt later this month if the Cubs are willing to eat most of his remaining deal.

Carlos Zambrano held the Pirates to one run on seven hits in six innings of work on Monday, improving to 8-6 in a 5-3 Cubs victory.

Aside from allowing a solo home run to former teammate Derrek Lee in the fourth inning, Zambrano had it going this evening. Now the owner of a 4.46 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and 92/52 K/BB ratio through his first 135 1/3 innings, Big Z will get the Reds at home this weekend.

Carlos Zambrano yielded two runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings Wednesday in a loss to the Brewers.

Big Z struck out three and walked two, getting outclassed by Zack Greinke in a 2-0 loss. He's won just twice in his last 10 starts. The Cubs are trying desperately to trade him, but with roughly $23 million owed to him through the end of the 2012 season, Chicago will likely need to spend another year with the volatile former ace.

Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports that the Yankees told the Cubs that they have "no interest" in Carlos Zambrano.

It's not surprising. Big Z has a 4.70 ERA through 20 starts this season and is owed roughly $23 million through the end of the 2012 season, so the Cubs would have needed to cover more than half of his remaining salary to make a trade even somewhat palatable. Chances are he'll stay put.

Buster Olney of ESPN.com reports the Cubs are "trying to nudge the Yankees into taking Carlos Zambrano."

The Cubs are offering an unspecified amount of cash to offset his remaining salary. Big Z is still owed an estimated $23 million through the end of the 2012 season, so a deal won't be easy.

Carlos Zambrano yielded two runs and nine hits in six innings Friday in a win over the Astros.

Zambrano wasn't at his best today, but then, one doesn't need to be especially good to beat Houston. It was just Zambrano's second win in nine starts. He's 7-5 with a 4.70 ERA.

Carlos Zambrano was knocked around in his return from the disabled list Saturday, allowing a season-high eight runs over 4 2/3 innings in a loss to the Marlins.

Big Z was rusty, allowing seven hits (including two homers by Mike Stanton) while walking four and striking out six. His ERA jumped from 4.34 to 4.78 in the loss. He'll hope for a soft landing next week against the weak-hitting Astros.

Cubs activated RHP Carlos Zambrano from the 15-day disabled list.

Zambrano spent the minimum amount of time on the DL with a back injury. The owner of a 4.34 ERA and 1.37 WHIP, he's had his usual bouts with inconsistency this season. Big Z will get the ball Saturday against the Marlins.

Carlos Zambrano (back) threw a successful side session Thursday and remains on target to rejoin the rotation Saturday.

Big Z pitched well in his lone rehab start last Friday. He'll return to a 4.34 ERA and 1.37 WHIP after missing the minimum amount of time on the disabled list.

The Cubs are expected to start Matt Garza, Ryan Dempster and Carlos Zambrano in the first three games after the All-Star break.

Randy Wells seems like to get the ball in the final game of the series against the Marlins, but manager Mike Quade wouldn't commit to it. It will be Zambrano's first start since he landed on the DL at the beginning of the month with a back injury.