No time for patience: Cubs demote Edwards

SAN FRANCISCO — It has been all about patience for almost four months. No more.

As Cubs manager Joe Maddon showed in early August of 2015, when he revealed his strategy for managing a six-month season with early hooks and win-now urgency, the Cubs signaled the changing of their season Monday.

Less than 72 hours after activating him from the injured list, the Cubs optioned reliever Carl Edwards Jr. back to Class AAA Iowa after one outing and recalled right-hander Rowan Wick.

‘‘We have a solid agenda, and it’s to go out and get back to the playoffs and get to the World Series again,’’ Maddon said before the Cubs opened a nine-game road trip with a 5-4 loss to the Giants, who scored three runs in the eighth inning against Pedro Strop.

‘‘It’s [almost] August. It’s not April or May, where you can absorb some of those difficulties. You’ve got to be beyond that right now . . . . We have to be at the top of our games.’’

Edwards, who had a 2.03 ERA between an early-season demotion and a midseason strain in his upper back, turned a 2-1 game into a 5-1 game Sunday against the Padres after entering with two on and two outs in the ninth. He gave up a walk, hit a batter and yielded a two-run single before getting the final out.

‘‘Carl’s been an even-or-ahead guy his whole career,’’ Maddon said. ‘‘I’m so looking forward to that moment again . . . . We’ve got to get him better.’’

Contreras back Wednesday

Catcher Willson Contreras, who has been on the injured list because of a sore foot since catcher Martin Maldonado was acquired last week, said he’s at full strength and has been cleared to return Wednesday. That’s just in time for him to catch left-hander Jon Lester.

The Cubs are expected to keep all three catchers — including Victor Caratini — on the roster, as they have done down the stretch in recent years.

Fast-track Hamels

Left-hander Cole Hamels (strained oblique) will make a rehab start Tuesday at Iowa on a strict pitch limit. If he fares well, he’s in play to return to the rotation Sunday in Milwaukee.

That would be exactly one month from the date he left his start in Cincinnati with the injury.