Wood will undergo arthroscopic surgery Wednesday on his right shoulder, the Chicago Cubs announced Monday. Dr. Timothy Kremchek will perform the surgery at Beacon Orthopedics in Sharonville, Ohio.

"We're in a position now to make sure we gave Woody the proper amount of time to do this exploratory surgery, which he'll have in Cincinnati on Wednesday," Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said Monday.

Wood, Hendry, Kremchek, Cubs athletic trainer Mark O'Neal and team doctor Stephen Gryzlo all discussed the pitcher's options and concluded now was the time. The Cubs entered play Monday 7 1/2 games back in the National League Wild Card race.

Wood was 3-3 with a 4.67 ERA in 10 starts, but those games were interrupted by two stints on the disabled list because of a strained right shoulder. He missed two months, tried to come back and had to be placed on the DL again. When activated on Aug. 5, he was assigned to the bullpen. In 10 relief appearances, the right-hander is 0-1 with a 2.45 ERA.

He was available Monday night for the Cubs in their game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"I'm sure he'd like to end the year pitching, knowing Woody," Cubs manager Dusty Baker said. "If we can get him in there, we'll try to do that."

O'Neal said the team does not anticipate Kremchek finding anything seriously wrong with Wood's shoulder. The right-hander has been throwing fastballs at 98-100 mph coming out of the 'pen.

"Realistically, we're going in to find out what's going on," O'Neal said. "We've compared his MRIs from 2001 to every one he's ever had and they've all been very consistent, and not one thing has jumped out and said, 'This is the problem, this is what we have to do.'

"With the way he's pitching out there now, we're not anticipating anything significant. You don't throw a baseball as long as he has and not have some sort of rotator cuff fraying, some sort of labrum fraying. At the minimum, they'll do a debridement and check everything out so we don't miss anything."

The procedure was expected to be similar to the labral debridement that St. Louis pitcher Matt Morris underwent in November. Morris was pitching by mid-April, and is 14-5 in 24 starts this season.

If the procedure goes well, Wood expects to be back in the Cubs' starting rotation next season.

"I think that's what we all want him to do, I think that's what he would like to do," Hendry said.

The first priority is to get Wood pain-free. His shoulder flares up when he throws 50-60 pitches, which is why he hasn't had any discomfort in his short relief outings.

"It can't be a real significant injury because it's hard to believe somebody can throw 98 miles an hour and have a serious arm problem," Hendry said. "He hasn't had any discomfort at all. He hasn't had any complaints since going to the 'pen."

The Cubs decided to do the surgery now to give Wood enough time to rehab.

"Dr. Kremchek felt that from his studying the MRI, it would be nothing to stop him from being available once Spring Training opens," Hendry said. "Why we're doing it now is to avoid a sprained ankle that would set back his rehab. We're just trying to give ourselves the maximum amount of time, no matter what it is."

O'Neal reiterated that if Wood requires a simple procedure, then there's no doubt he'll be ready for Spring Training.

"What he's dealing with with his shoulder is symptomatic of the amount of torque and velocity he's able to throw with," O'Neal said. "It's an enormous amount of torque that you put on your shoulder. This is a product of him throwing through the years with his shoulder."

Wood, 28, exploded onto the scene in 1998, winning Rookie of the Year honors with a 13-6 record and 233 strikeouts. Nicknamed "Kid K" after his 20-strikeout game against Houston on May 6, 1998, Wood is 70-54 with a 3.67 ERA in 184 career games (174 starts) and has struck out 1,285.

"I hope it comes out well," Baker said of the surgery. "I hope it's not anything serious. I hope and pray it's something minor and he recovers well."