Cubs’ Kyle Schwarber in play for major-league debut this week?

WASHINGTON — If the Cubs want to have a more competitive, American League-looking lineup for their upcoming interleague games, then Kyle Schwarber probably should be on the next plane from Knoxville, Tenn., to Detroit.

With Jorge Soler on the disabled list and many Cubs struggling at the plate, the team can use an extra bat during a 13-game stretch that includes seven with the designated hitter.

Manager Joe Maddon said he expects to discuss that Monday.

“I am going to talk to [team president] Theo [Epstein] about all of this,” Maddon said. “You’ve got that window of opportunity. If you want to manipulate, there it is.”

The Cubs, who open a two-game series in Detroit on Tuesday and visit Cleveland (two games) and Minnesota (three) next week, got a significant part of their bench strength back Sunday with outfielder Chris Denorfia’s return from the disabled list.

But they’ve had only two potentially big — and potentially big-league — bats in-house that might have an impact.

One of those, slugging infielder Javy Baez, suffered a broken finger Sunday playing for AAA Iowa and could miss the next two months.

The other is Schwarber, the No. 4 overall draft pick last year. The left-handed hitter has been clobbering Southern League pitching all season. He might benefit from a temporary taste of big-league pitching if he’s going to matriculate as fast as many believe he will.

Maddon said Schwarber hasn’t been discussed specifically yet during early discussions about DH possibilities, but he could be an option.

The Cubs’ 40-man roster is at 39, so Schwarber could be added without any other roster maneuvering, which the Cubs might do in September anyway.

“I would think based on what he’s done it would make sense that he would be [considered],” Maddon said. “But I don’t know what we’re willing to do.”