Will closer Brandon Morrow throw another pitch for the Cubs?

SEATTLE — After receiving an injection of synthetic lubricant in his right (pitching) elbow Monday, it looks increasingly likely that Cubs closer Brandon Morrow won’t be ready to pitch before the All-Star break.

And whether he throws a pitch at all this season is at least in doubt.

‘‘I think he will; I think he’ll come back,’’ team president Theo Epstein said Tuesday of Morrow, who was dominant in the first half of last season before the elbow sidelined him the entire second half. ‘‘Obviously, there’s a risk. There’s a risk with his injury history and things that have happened even here. But we’re hopeful that he’ll help us [this summer].’’

Morrow, who was diagnosed late last season with a bone bruise in the elbow, had surgery in November, a process that included removing some cartilage.

‘‘It’s not uncommon for it to be a little bit of a bumpy road back,’’ Epstein said.

Morrow, who originally was expected to be ready to return about now, experienced soreness last week. Epstein said he won’t be allowed to throw for two to three weeks, at which point his rehab will start over.

But don’t expect the Cubs to suddenly find any more money in the budget to bring in another veteran reliever from outside the organization, much less free agent Craig Kimbrel.

‘‘Nothing’s changed on the bullpen front,’’ Epstein said a few days ago.

Freedom of the press?

Epstein addressed a social-media allegation that the Cubs had tried to exert pressure on a ‘‘reporter’’ over coverage critical of the team and suspended shortstop Addison Russell. It was something beat writers traveling with the team had not experienced and an allegation that seemed to surprise Epstein and others in the organization.

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‘‘This is certainly an issue where we expect there to be strong opinions, and people have the right to have those opinions and express them however you want,’’ Epstein said. ‘‘We support that.

‘‘I saw that story out there. I’m not calling it into question, other than to say the threat of reprisal to a media member about any topic, especially one of this nature, is not acceptable. And I’d be really surprised if that happened at the Cubs, and if it did, I’d want to know who it was because they wouldn’t work for the Cubs much longer. That’s a fireable offense, to try to threaten a media member because of unfavorable coverage, especially on a topic of this nature.’’

Ring tone

Epstein was asked whether he’d had the ‘‘Vogey Hoagie,’’ a new menu item at T-Mobile Park named after Mariners slugger Daniel Vogelbach, who went to Seattle in the 2016 trade that brought left-hander Mike Montgomery to the Cubs.

‘‘No,’’ Epstein said. ‘‘I’ve got the Monty World Series ring.’’

This and that

Kris Bryant was switched from left field to designated hitter just before game time as a precaution to prevent mild hamstring soreness from worsening.

• Second baseman Daniel Descalso hit the second pitch of the game over the wall in right-center field for the first leadoff home run of his career.

• Epstein said Montgomery (lat strain), who pitched four innings in a minor-league rehab start Sunday, will make at least one more start before the Cubs consider activating him from the injured list.