CHICAGO -- It was no fault of Jimmy Nelson, who attacked rehabilitation with the same intensity he took the mound before shoulder surgery cut short his breakthrough 2017 season.
But on Wednesday, Brewers officials cast significant doubt on Nelson's chances of pitching for the team before the 2018 season is out.
"Jimmy pitching for us this year is unlikely," manager Craig Counsell said, echoing a sentiment also expressed by general manager David Stearns. "That's not due to a setback of any nature. It's just due to the pace of his rehab right now. We're not ruling it 100 percent out, but probably our best goal is to get him into a competitive situation before he shuts it down for the offseason."

Said Stearns: "I think it's fair to say we're running short on time. That's realistic. We haven't closed the doors to anything at this point, but it's getting to the point where it's probably tougher to see him making a significant impact during the month of September for us."
Both men spoke in the visitors' dugout at Wrigley Field, steps from the spot at which Nelson's ascent was halted last Sept. 8 when he dove headfirst back to first base following a fifth-inning single and significantly injured his right shoulder, tearing the rotator cuff and labrum.

The location of the labrum tear offered Nelson hope of a speedier-than-usual return, which was amplified when he got significantly ahead of schedule during the offseason. But his progress slowed once the season began, and Nelson is still working toward pitching off a mound.
"It's not a situation where you push him to get through it," Counsell said. "He has to be 100 percent healthy. … The way it's been set up is, 'Here's the hurdle, cross it, get to the next one. Here's the schedule, get there then do the next thing.'
"That will continue. The reason I'm saying this is where we're at in the schedule, he's not going to be able to pitch in Major League games."
Nelson could pitch in the fall instructional league when he is ready, said Stearns, who praised Nelson's patience after the pace of his comeback slowed.
The 29-year-old right-hander has two years of arbitration remaining before he reaches free agency.
"He got off to such a rapid start with his rehab and he felt so good that I think it maybe accelerated the timeline in all of our minds," Stearns said. "Now, we're probably on a little bit more of a realistic pace of what a shoulder injury of this extent really needs."

"It takes some pressure off," said Counsell, "but at the same time, it's a little disappointing. Really, what happened here was he had a great start to this thing. We thought it was probably going to be this whole season, but he had a great start that caused some optimism, but now he just get back to what we kind of thought in the first case, when the best-case scenario was we'd have him ready for the start of the 2019 season.
"That's where we're at. He's going to be disappointed because he's a competitor, but I think there's also a little weight that comes off you and gets that part out of your head."
Last call
• Right-hander Jake Thompson, acquired in a cash deal with the Phillies on Tuesday and optioned to Triple-A Colorado Springs, will pitch in relief for the SkySox, Stearns said. Thompson will have a Minor League option remaining in 2019 and has been a Brewers target for some time, according to Stearns.
• Stearns has already picked up Jordan Lyles from the Padres and Thompson from the Phillies in August and suggested he's still shopping. Players can be traded after the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline, provided they are exposed to waivers first. If a player is acquired by Aug. 31, he is eligible for postseason play.
"There's still a lot of waiver activity. Guys are getting through," Stearns said. "Tough to handicap at this point, but we're looking, and if there's something that makes sense that we think materially impacts this team, we'll do it."
Asked whether any of the Brewers' pre-July 31 talks had continued into August, Stearns said, "Not at this point. I suppose that could pick up as this month goes along. As we all know, these things are generally deadline-driven, and the next deadline is at the end of the month. So I imagine there will be some activity around baseball."