CHICAGO -- The Cubs took care of one offseason project Wednesday and picked up the $7 million option for pitcher Rich Harden for 2009.

If the Cubs had not picked up the option, the right-hander would've been eligible for arbitration.

Harden was examined by Cubs orthopedic specialist Dr. Stephen Gryzlo on Wednesday and underwent an MRI arthrogram on his right shoulder. The pitcher, who has rotator tendinitis and some subtle instability in his shoulder, will not need offseason surgery.

"Rich has had a long history of some difficulty," Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said. "But after the arthrogram was diagnosed by Dr. Gryzlo and other experts at Northwestern [Hospital], it was clearly a situation where the best avenue was not any surgical procedures.

"It's no secret that physical problems at Oakland were tough at times," Hendry said. "We knew that going into the acquisition."

Harden was 5-1 with a 1.77 ERA in 12 starts for the Cubs, who acquired the right-hander July 8 from the Oakland Athletics. He was 10-2 with a 2.07 ERA combined for the A's and Cubs, making 25 starts, the most he's totaled since his career-high 31 games in 2004.

"We are convinced he'll be able to do at least [25 starts] next year," Hendry said. "Obviously, with shoulders you have some difficulties in cases like this. Rich will go into the offseason to make it stronger and rehab it all winter, and we feel confident he'll be ready to go by Opening Day."

Harden, who lives in the Phoenix area, spent part of Wednesday with Cubs athletic trainer Mark O'Neal going over an offseason regimen to strengthen the shoulder.

He had received a cortisone shot in early September and was given extra time between starts to keep his arm fresh. The Cubs will need depth on their pitching staff in 2009 in order to be able to give Harden extra time if needed. This year, they had extra arms and a cushion in the National League Central.

Harden struck out 181 this season over 148 innings combined and held opponents to a .183 batting average against. The right-hander, who turns 27 on Nov. 30, started Game 3 of the National League Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers and gave up three runs on five hits over 4 1/3 innings while striking out four.

The good news is that there is no tear in the rotator cuff or labrum.

"It's one of those situations where you have a heck of a good athlete who has a great work ethic," Hendry said. "And the advice of the medical staff, which Rich has complete faith in, is three, four months of good conditioning and work on it and rehab and he'll be as strong as he was when he came out for Oakland at the beginning of the year."

Harden was able to make every start on his fifth day for the Athletics except one at the end of his stint there, and he was given one extra day.

"If Rich Harden had no issues at all from a medical standpoint, you'd never come close to being able to acquire him," Hendry said. "The $7 million is an investment. Maybe he'll do more. Maybe he'll do better. ... I'm looking at if the worst is you get 25 starts next year, and if that's the way it is, I'll take that from him in a heartbeat."

Hendry said Cubs player development director Oneri Fleita had spoken to reliever Carlos Marmol, who was injured in a car accident in the Dominican Republic early Tuesday. A truck hit a car carrying Marmol, a cousin and a friend in Bonao, and Marmol required seven stitches in his forehead.

"There's nothing wrong with his right arm, thankfully," Hendry said.

As for other offseason decisions, such as how active to pursue free agents-to-be Kerry Wood and Ryan Dempster, Hendry said he wanted to meet with Cubs chairman Crane Kenney first and get a handle on the projected payroll. The Cubs will have organizational meetings Oct. 19 in Mesa, Ariz.