MILWAUKEE -- Fresh off a minor-league rehab assignment, Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Aramis Ramirez will be activated from the disabled list Wednesday barring any last-minute setbacks.
Brewers manager Ron Roenicke plans to use Ramirez as the team's designated hitter in Minnesota on Wednesday and will hit the veteran third baseman somewhere other than his customary cleanup spot.
"You can take advantage of the DH," Ramirez said. "We don't have that opportunity in the National League."
Ramirez has never hit lower than cleanup with the Brewers, but that will likely change Wednesday. Roenicke said he knows where he will slot Ramirez into the lineup but wouldn't reveal his plans. With the top four of Milwaukee's lineup clicking, Ramirez will likely hit lower than fourth for the first time since June 12, 2011.
Prior to going on the disabled list with a strained left hamstring, Ramirez was hitting .252 with five home runs and 21 RBI. He was 5-for-30 in May before injuring himself while fielding a groundball on May 10.
"I told him that I don't have to jump in and hit in the cleanup spot," Ramirez said of his conversation with Roenicke. "We all know what Gomey is doing in the cleanup spot. We are winning games. That's all that matters."
It's unsure if Ramirez will play third base Thursday or if he will DH both games in Minnesota, but he doesn't want to have to come out of games early in order to ease back into things.
"I don't want to do that," Ramirez said. "I told (Ron) that. That was one of the reasons I went to rehab. I'm going to DH tomorrow the whole game and when I play in the field it is going to be nine innings."
Ramirez played two games with Class-A Wisconsin, going 0-for-2 while playing third base in a contest suspended by rain Sunday. He was the DH on Monday due to the wet field and went 2-for-4.
"First day timing was a little off, yesterday was good," Roenicke said of the scouting report he got from the Timber Rattlers. "Last ball he hit, he hit a bullet to first base, which tells you he's really staying back on balls, seeing the ball well. And they said he moved around well, so good signs."
The Brewers will have to make a corresponding roster move either after Tuesday night's game or early in the day Wednesday. Either Irving Falu or Elian Herrera would likely be sent down to clear the way for Ramirez's return.
Minor-league all-stars: Two of Milwaukee's affiliates had their league's All-Star teams announced Tuesday with the Brewers organization being well represented.
Class-A Brevard County will send pitchers Jed Bradley, Tyler Wagner, Tanner Poppe and catcher Cameron Garfield to the All-Star Game.
First baseman Nick Ramirez, third baseman Jason Rogers, left-hander Brent Suter, right-hander Arcenio Leon, right-hander Taylor Jungmann, right-hander Tyler Cravy, right-hander Drew Gagnon and right-hander David Goforth will represent Double-A Huntsville at the Southern League All-Star Game.
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