HOUSTON -- The D-backs are targeting a Monday return for outfielder David Peralta, who is fresh off an extended spring training game in Arizona on Wednesday.
"He had five at-bats, one hit, stole a base," manager Chip Hale said Wednesday. "He texted me and said for day one, he felt pretty good."
Though the team originally had planned for Peralta, who's been out with right wrist inflammation, to rejoin the club against the Cubs, Hale said Peralta will play a couple of Triple-A games in Reno before a likely callup in time for a home series against Tampa Bay early next week.
"If something happens here and there's an injury and we need a guy, he'll be healthy enough," Hale said. "We'd like to get him some work and have him be ready to go for Monday."
Peralta was hitting .260 with three home runs and 12 RBIs. It was a solid enough start, but the wrist injury was clearly limiting him prior to this disabled list stint, which started on May 15.
Hale said the team will really feel Peralta's absence during this five-day road stretch in Houston and Chicago.
"On the road, you miss him more," Hale said. "At home, he's been around on the bench, in the clubhouse and been in the meetings, so that part of it is good. On the field, it's always hard. He's a good leader in the outfield, keeps the energy going in the lineup, so I think it was tough to not have him with us.
The silver lining? Hale said the rest has invigorated Peralta, who should soon be back and solidifying the middle of Arizona's order behind Paul Goldschmidt.
"It was tough for him to get hurt, but I think he was hurting for a while and the best thing to do was get him 100 percent," Hale said. "You can just see the look in his eye as he [gets healthier]. 
"He's a different guy right now. He's ready to rock again."
Worth noting
• D-backs hitting coach Dave Magadan missed Wednesday night's game due to an unspecified illness. He did not travel with the team to Houston, and will most likely miss Thursday's game before meeting the club in Chicago on Friday.