Gomez sidelined again; Peralta progressing

KANSAS CITY -- While Brewers right-hander Wily Peralta took another step forward on Thursday in his comeback from injury, center fielder Carlos Gomez took another step back.

One day after returning to the starting lineup after taking a few days off because of right leg soreness, Gomez was again absent on Thursday while club officials debated their options, which range from a few more days of rest to a stint on the disabled list. Gomez continues to be bothered by persistent discomfort that began last month as a right hip flexor strain and later spread to Gomez's right groin.

"I just didn't think he was running that well yesterday during the game and we're not moving forward," manager Craig Counsell said. "He just feels the same. We've got to get him back to a level where we feel like we're over this. Until he's at that point and he can play at that level, then I think we've got to be cautious."

Asked whether a DL stint was in play, Counsell said, "It's in play, yeah, but we're going to give him some time. It's going to be a day-by-day thing. You'd obviously like to avoid [the DL] and like him to make progress, and kind of get over the hump with it, but it's a possibility. …

"We're just at a point where you've got to get over the hump. So how do you get over the hump? Do you just back off, or do you push yourself? Today we're going to back off and choose to make sure he doesn't have apprehension about being on the field."

Peralta, meanwhile, was making progress -- albeit slowly -- from a strained right oblique as his flat-ground throwing program graduated to 105 feet on Thursday afternoon. On Friday, Peralta will be four weeks removed from suffering the injury during a start in Atlanta.

Peralta said there is no firm timetable to return to the mound, meaning he is still some weeks away from pitching in a game for the Brewers.

"I feel fine. It's frustrating," he said. "I've never been there. The last time I've been on the DL was 2007, with Tommy John [surgery]. Since that, I've never missed a start, never been on the DL. To not be able to go outside and compete and just travel with the team, it's frustrating. You come into the season and want to go out there every five days. I'm just working hard, man, trying to come back.

"Like I say, I couldn't even tell you [when he'll be back] because some days you feel great, then maybe you stretch it out and you're going to get sore. You don't know. You just go off of what your body tells you that day."