Lucroy eyeing St. Louis opener for return

MILWAUKEE -- Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy was aiming for a June 1 return from the disabled list after a Monday morning X-ray confirmed sufficient healing in his fractured left toe.

The specifics of a Minor League rehabilitation assignment have yet to be finalized, Lucroy said. He planned to remain in Milwaukee for several days of workouts before departing for what he hopes is only a three- or four-game rehab assignment. Those details will have to be set in concert with Brewers medical officials, however.

"I shouldn't need that much," Lucroy said. "The pain is gone so it's more getting my legs under me, getting used to squatting. That's the most important thing, getting my legs under me and timing [at the plate]."

The Brewers open a three-city road trip June 1 in St. Louis, and Lucroy hopes to be in the starting lineup that night. Brewers manager Craig Counsell declined to set so specific a timetable.

"He'll play on the road trip," Counsell said. "I'm confident of that."

But asked to be more specific, Counsell said, "I don't want to say for sure. He's making big progress every day now. I'm just going to let him make that progress. It has a chance to be pretty soon."

Lucroy has been sidelined since a foul tip fractured the big toe on his left foot April 20. He expected Monday's X-ray to yield a positive result, saying in the morning that, "I'm basically full-go now. I'm good."

When Lucroy returns to action, he will wear modified cleats fitted with carbon-fiber toe caps. If he can quickly rediscover the swing that carried him to a fourth-place finish in 2014 National League MVP balloting, he would boost a Brewers offense that entered Monday with the league's lowest batting average (.227) and on-base percentage (.259).

A teammate remains on track to return from the disabled list ahead of Lucroy. Shortstop Jean Segura should be activated Friday, the first game day he's eligible, after missing two weeks with a fractured right pinkie finger.