MILWAUKEE (AP) — Originally out of the Milwaukee Brewers’ starting lineup because of an ailing right thumb, Ryan Braun took batting practice and was inserted to play against St. Louis on Saturday.

Braun missed two games this week for the birth of a daughter, then went 1 for 4 in Friday night’s 6-2 win as Milwaukee stopped a nine-game losing streak.

“The hand thing’s still bothering him,” manager Ron Roenicke said before batting practice. “It’s either putting him back out there again and letting him fight through a game, or try to get it right. He needs to help us this last month. We need to see the Braun that we’re used to seeing. Just getting through games, I don’t know if that’s the way to do it.”

Braun had played in 115 of the Brewers’ 141 games entering Saturday, hitting .275 with 18 home runs and 77 RBIs.

Logan Schaefer had been slated to play right field for the Brewers, who started the day trailing the NL Central-leading Cardinals by three games.

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