Cincinnati Reds

RHP Feldman expected to return as Reds face Brewers (Aug 12, 2017)

Published Aug. 14, 2017 4:00 a.m. ET

MILWAUKEE -- Having passed a battery of tests on his ailing knee, Scott Feldman is slated to come off the disabled list Saturday and return to the mound as the Cincinnati Reds face the Milwaukee Brewers in the second of a three-game series at Miller Park.

Feldman, 7-7 with a 4.34 ERA in 19 starts this season, went on the DL July 17 with inflammation in his right knee. After a month of rehabbing, the veteran is ready to get back to work.

"It's been pretty annoying being on the DL as is usually the case," Feldman said. "I'm just happy to get back out there."

Feldman was the team leader in starts and innings before the injury and was hitting a stride, going 3-2 with a 2.92 ERA heading into the All-Star break. Reds manager Bryan Price is hopeful that Feldman can pick up where he left off but understands that knee injuries can be a lingering issue and Feldman will need to be monitored.

"My hopes are that he'll be able to maintain what we saw those first couple of months, as far as being able to go out there and take the field and do all the little things that he had to do as a pitcher -- field your position, swing the bat, run the bases, et cetera, without too much issue," Price said. "If there is a lot of issue with that, then we'll have to reconsider where we go moving forward. Right now I feel good about him taking the mound."

Feldman has faced Milwaukee twice already this season, going 0-1 with a 2.87 ERA. He's faced the Brewers six times in his career, going 2-3 with a 4.06 ERA and has a 4.14 ERA in five career starts at Miller Park.

The Brewers will try to build off an encouraging loss Friday night. They trailed 10-2 after three innings but Milwaukee's slumping offense broke out of its doldrums in a big way and managed to put eight runs on the board over the final four innings before falling 11-10.

"To me, it is a loss and it stings, but it is a good sign for us," said Brewers manager Craig Counsell, whose team has lost a season-high six straight games. "We played with a bunch of energy those last four innings and made it tough on them. We took a little piece out of them having to use (closer Raisel) Iglesias for two innings. That should help us the next couple of nights. They had to use (reliever Michael) Lorenzen tonight, as well. They had to use their guys tonight. I think when you are down eight in the sixth and you can take a little piece out of them hopefully there's something ahead of us that pays dividends."

Lefty Brent Suter (2-2, 3.31 ERA) gets the start for Milwaukee, looking to bounce back after a four-inning outing against the Minnesota Twins on Monday, his shortest of the season. He was 0-1 with a 4.20 ERA in eight appearances, including a spot start when he moved into the Brewers rotation after Chase Anderson landed on the DL in early July.

Since then, Suter has made seven starts, posting a 2-1 record with a 2.97 ERA but has struggled in his last two outings, allowing eight earned runs in 9 1/3 innings of work.

Suter has never started against the Reds but struck out two in an inning of relief against Cincinnati earlier this season.