Nestor Cortes Injury: Nearing end of rehab assignment

Cortes (elbow) is scheduled to make his next rehab appearance Thursday and is expected to throw around 90 pitches, Jack Stern of BrewerFanatic.com reports.

Cortes has thus far made three rehab appearances between High-A Wisconsin and Triple-A Nashville, covering 12.1 innings in total and striking out nine while allowing one run on six hits and two walks. Assuming he checks out fine physically following Thursday's outing, Cortes will likely be cleared to return from the 60-day injured list next week. Though all five of the Brewers' starting pitchers are pitching effectively at the moment, Milwaukee could expand to a six-man rotation in order to accommodate Cortes' return.