Cahill likely Wednesday

BOSTON — Trevor Cahill’s elbow impingement was so minor that the right-hander is likely to come off the disabled list to start Wednesday night’s game at Fenway Park.

“We feel pretty good about starting him,” manager Bob Melvin said. “We have not made that decision yet, but based on what I’m hearing and how he came through his bullpen session, I think we’re in a good spot to start him.”

The corresponding roster move could be interesting. Brett Anderson has had the worst recent numbers among the candidates to come out of the rotation, but he would have to be designated for assignment to come off the roster. Potential options to be sent down include Kendall Graveman and Andrew Triggs, or there’s always a chance the team could drop

back down to seven relievers and shuffle a current starter into long relief. Graveman had been scheduled to start Wednesday’s game.

Cahill missed, in essence, one start after feeling some elbow discomfort after a sixinning scoreless outing against Baltimore on May 5. He is 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA in four starts, and opponents are batting .202 against him.

Other moves: With Stephen Piscotty returning from bereavement leave Tuesday, and the rest of the A’s outfielders seeing regular playing time, the team probably will send

outfielder Jake Smolinski down to Triple-A Nashville.

Smolinski has remained on the roster all season because Oakland needed a strong defensive center-field option on the bench, but Mark Canha has demonstrated in recent weeks that he can handle the position.

In addition, the A’s will need to make a move Thursday for a backup catcher because, as The Chronicle previously reported, Bruce Maxwell will not be able to travel to Canada for legal reasons.

The team is investigating the possibility of petitioning Major League Baseball to place Maxwell on the restricted list rather than optioning him to Triple-A Nashville. On occasion, players with visa issues have been allowed to go on the restricted list, which would mean that Maxwell would not have to miss at least 10 days with the big-league club.

In either instance, the A’s will need a backup catcher, either Josh Phegley or hothitting Beau Taylor, who, like Maxwell, is a left-handed hitter.

Susan Slusser is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer.