Melvin: Weeks could return to lineup next week

Brewers manager Doug Melvin told WTMJ-AM in his weekly radio spot Thursday that second baseman Rickie Weeks was likely to be active as a pinch-hitter for tonight’s series opener against the Phillies, and could be back in the lineup as early as next week’s two-game series against the Rockies at Miller Park.

As of 3 p.m. CT, we were still waiting for official word from the club that Weeks had been activated from the disabled list. He’s been sidelined since severely spraining his left ankle in a July 20 27 game against the Cubs.

“We’ll try to break him in gradually this weekend here, and try to get him back to full-time status,” Melvin told the radio station. “For the weekend at least, he’ll be a bat off the bench for us. It will be good to get Rickie back. The plan is to have him back playing full time probably by mid next week.”

Was Melvin worried about Weeks trying to stretch a double into a triple and having a setback?

“No, he’s been told [to use caution],” Melvin said. “He’s running real well right now. That’s the way Rickie plays the game, and eventually he’s going to have to do it. You’re always worried when Rickie plays. When Rickie is healthy, you get worried because he plays the game so hard. A lot of times, that’s why he is injured as much as he is. He has to get out there sometimes. He feels good about it, our doctors feel OK and so we’ll try to gradually break him in.”

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