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With the trading deadline looming July 30, the Milwaukee Brewers are taking steps toward improving themselves internally as well with several injured players nearing comebacks.

The closest of those is centerfielder Lorenzo Cain, who's been on the injured list since June 1 with a strained right hamstring.

"Lorenzos going to be with Nashville through the weekend and then rejoin us if everything goes well the next couple days," said manager Craig Counsell, whose team started a three-game interleague series with the Chicago White Sox at American Family Field Friday.

The Brewers then head out on a six-game road trip that begins Tuesday at Pittsburgh.

Cain was hitting .190 seven games and 21 at-bats into a rehab stint at Class AAA Nashville, and his return would help balance out what's been a left-handed-heavy outfieldin his absence with Jackie Bradley Jr. serving as the primary centerfielder alongside leftfielder Christian Yelich.

More: Haudricourt: With comfortable lead in the division, should Brewers go for jugular at the trade deadline?

Along the infield, third baseman Travis Shaw and first baseman Daniel Vogelbach are closing in on rehab assignments of their own.

Shaw has been on the IL since June 10 with a dislocated left shoulder and Vogelbach since June 23 with a strained left hamstring.

"Shaw and Vogey will not go on the road trip with us," said Counsell."They will both head to Nashville. Travis will start a couple days before Vogey, but theyll both start playing games while were in Pittsburgh."

Whenever Shaw is cleared to return, he might find playing time at third base difficult to come by withLuis Uras currently the Brewers' second-best run producer with 13 home runs and 45 runs batted in while also playing some good defense (plus-2 defensive runs saved through 322 innings entering Friday).

Milwaukee has mostly been utilizing Jace Peterson and Rowdy Tellez at first base in recent games. Peterson has been an on-base machine but doesn't provide a lot of power, while Tellez was hitting .154 with two RBI in just 13 at-bats since being acquired via trade on July 7.

Setup man Devin Williamsis eligible to come off the IL on Tuesday at Pittsburgh and he, too, might be ready to return to action.

The right-hander has been out since July 17 with right elbow discomfort, thinning the Brewers' depth toward the back end of their bullpen.

"Devins doing good," Counsell said."Hes going to throw a bullpen tomorrow. Hes played catch the last 3-4 days. Everythings good.

"Hell take the next step tomorrow."

Milwaukee did get some much-needed depth and experience back Friday with Brad Boxberger getting the all-clear to return.

The right-hander was forced from last Saturday'sgame at Cincinnati with a shoulder issue then was held out of both games against the Kansas City Royals.

"Hes good to go," Counsell said."He was available Wednesday but I was only going to use him in kind of a strict spot, I guess is the best way to say it. But the fact that we were able to get him some more days -- hes good to go today."

And indeed, Boxberger was the second pitcher out of the bullpen behind starter Freddy Peralta, putting up a scoreless seventh inning.

Utilizing a six-man rotation has helped limit the innings of all the Brewers' starters but most important their three horses in Brandon Woodruff, Corbin Burnes andPeralta.

The thinking behind it was, coming off a two-month pandemic season, it would be a way to keep them healthier while also limiting their innings with Woodruff already 2 away from tying his major-leaguehigh set in 2019 (121), Burnes already having nearly doubled his at 96 and Peralta well past his at 98.

More: The Brewers and White Sox have their best starting pitchers lined up for a weekend series between first-place clubs

Milwaukee held Peralta back coming out of the all-star break to give him a breather, meaning his start Friday against the White Sox was his first since July 10 and his first game action of any kind since he pitched an inning in the All-Star Game three days later.

Woodruff was also flip-flopped with Burnes behind Peralta, leaving Burnes to square off against left-hander Carlos Rodon on Saturday and Woodruff against Lance Lynn on Sunday's nationally televised game.

"I think this is a scenario that benefits their health," said Counsell. "We think it benefits their performance, ultimately. And we think it prepares them for something that they didnt do last year, and hopefully prepares them for something pitching seven months that a lot of them havent done in their careers. Thats the thought behind it.

"I think being competitors, they want to pitch because thats what they do. But at the same time, they also understood it because I think weve explained it to them in a way that (emphasizes) that its for them and its for the team. I think theres reasons that it helps them and the team.

"So, to us it made sense."

The Brewers announced Friday they'd signed four more of their 2021 draft picks, including second-rounder Russell Smith.

Smith, a left-handed pitcher out of TCU, signed for a reported $1 million, well under the recommended slot of $1.44 million.

Also signing were ninth-rounder Brannon Jordan, a right-hander out of South Carolina; 16th-rounder Kay-Lan Nicasia, a shortstop out ofChampagnat Catholic School in Miami; and 18th-rounder Ryne Moore, a right-hander out of Old Dominion.

Milwaukee now has all four of its top picks under contract, and nine of 21 overall.

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The Brewers are finally turning the corner with regard to injuries at just the right time - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel