MILWAUKEE -- The Milwaukee Brewers are inching closer to full strength, as they activated second baseman Scooter Gennett from the disabled list Tuesday. To clear room for Gennett, the Brewers optioned outfielder Logan Schafer to Triple-A Colorado Springs.
With Gennett and Carlos Gomez back, the Brewers are down to just one starter on the disabled list. Catcher Jonathan Lucroy was expected to be out four to six weeks after fracturing his toe on April 20.
Shortstop Jean Segura was also back in Milwaukee's lineup Tuesday after missing Monday's game after being hit with a pitch in the helmet on Sunday in Chicago.
"We're starting to get back kind of what we thought we had at the beginning of the season," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "We're still missing one piece, but we're getting there. That's a good thing."
Gennett required the minimum 15 days on the disabled list after suffering a cut between the index and middle finger while showering after Milwaukee's loss in Pittsburgh on April 19.
The wound from a shower rack required five stitches and forced Gennett to the disabled list retroactive to April 20.
Gennett began a rehab assignment with Low-A Wisconsin on May 1, hitting .308 with a pair of doubles and an RBI in 13 at-bats over four games with the Timber Rattlers.
"The first day, I was knocking off the cobwebs but the next three days felt good,' Gennett said. "I felt like myself. The finger felt 100 percent, it's just a matter of keeping something on top of it and keeping it clean. There's no pain.
"The last day, I hit pretty much every ball hard. I think that it was a good opportunity to work on some things during the game that maybe I wouldn't get to work on here, so who knows? Maybe I got even better in those few days down there."
In his first season as Milwaukee's every day starter at second base, Gennett was hitting just .207 (6-for-29) with one RBI in 33 plate appearances before getting hurt. Elian Herrera made nine starts at second base in Gennett's absence, while Hector Gomez started five times.
"We'll try to get Scooter on track," Counsell said. "He was a big part of this offense last year. It is just another piece. We need to get him playing to his capabilities."
Because Luis Jimenez was recently designated for assignment and lost on waivers to the Boston Red Sox, Schafer became the odd man out. Herrera is out of options and would likely be claimed if designated for assignment, while Jason Rogers has become the backup at first base.
Schafer is hitting .182 with three doubles and an RBI in 33 at-bats for the Brewers this season.
"It is just how we are going to use the players on the roster," Counsell said. "It is where plate appearances are going to get divided up and who is going to have a chance to be put in a certain situation or put in a certain spot. It is need-based. We are trying to put together a position-player unit that complements each other. At this time the best way to do it is with these 13 guys."
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