Peralta feels fine, sticking with normal routine

CLEVELAND -- Wily Peralta spoke Wednesday with the same confident air he projected Tuesday night after grinding through 2 2/3 innings against the Indians with so much missing from his fastball that even the home-plate umpire commented about it to catcher Jonathan Lucroy. Peralta reiterated on Wednesday that he felt 100-percent healthy, and that he was confident those missing miles per hour would return.

"I'm not worried about it," said Peralta, laughing. "I know I'll get back on Friday and fire it up."

Friday is the day he'll throw his between-starts bullpen session, part of every starting pitcher's routine. Peralta usually throws his bullpen on the second day following his start, but the Brewers are off Thursday. Earlier in the season, Peralta said, a pitcher might come to the ballpark on his off-day to throw the bullpen session on schedule, but that changed in August and September.

He wasn't concerned enough about Tuesday, when Peralta mostly pitched in the 89-91 mph range, down from his usual 94-96 mph with occasional 97s and 98, to alter the plan.

"I've never had that [problem] before, but I don't really worry about it because I feel pretty good," Peralta said. "My arm doesn't feel tired. Sometimes it's mechanics. … Mechanically, I was a little off, and sometimes that takes off from your velocity. But overall, I feel good."

Pitching coach Rick Kranitz's best guess late Tuesday was that Peralta was experiencing "dead arm," which would make sense for a pitcher in his sixth start since a two-month stint on the disabled list for a left oblique strain.

"He's going to go through his normal routine and get ready for his next start," Counsell said. "It happens. He's just going to move forward and get ready for his next start."