MILWAUKEE -- It's no secret as Ben Sheets goes, so go the Milwaukee Brewers. That is now the case more than ever.

Manager Ned Yost announced Monday that Sheets, who leads the National League with a 0.96 ERA, will miss his scheduled start Wednesday and not pitch again until next Tuesday in Chicago. That means the Brewers will play at least two position players short of a full deck for now and perhaps for the entire seven-game homestand the Brewers opened Monday night against St. Louis.

After a 10-minute throwing session with pitching coach Mike Maddux, Sheets said he was fine. However, Yost said he'd rather see Sheets miss a start to let his triceps strain have more time to heal. Dave Bush will make the start against the Philadelphia Phillies.

"I'm pretty sure I'm capable of pitching right now," said Sheets, who was pulled after five innings in his start Friday at Cincinnati. "But I'm sure they don't want it to linger. They seem pretty confident that a couple of extra days will help."

Yost opted to go with an extra pitcher to protect against losing Sheets for a start when Yovani Gallardo was added to the roster Sunday in Cincinnati. The move allows him to keep Bush in the rotation, if only temporarily. But it cost Joe Dillon a spot on the roster for at least 10 days when he was sent to Class AAA Nashville to make room for Gallardo.

"I think we're going to win more games with an extra pitcher now," Yost said.

Yost went into the two-game series against the Cardinals with 11 position players, including rarely used backup catcher (Mike Rivera). That left Yost with just two real options off the bench in Craig Counsell and Gabe Kapler.

That could change by Wednesday when general manager Doug Melvin said the Brewers would consider the status of outfielder Tony Gwynn Jr., who is recovering from a hamstring strain on a rehabilitation assignment at Nashville.

Yost admitted he'll have to be judicious in his use of his regular pinch-hitters, perhaps using Gallardo or Manny Parra in certain situations or Jeff Suppan in a late-inning bunting situation. He'll also have to use the double switch to push the pitcher deeper in the lineup in the late innings.

"You can work it," Yost said, "until we get past all this stuff."

Gagne makes promise

Closer Eric Gagne promised Yost he will make the grounds crew "fix the mound" the next time he struggles on a slippery mound.

Gagne blew his third save of the season Sunday when he gave up consecutive home runs to Edwin Encarnacion and Paul Bako in the rain at the Great America Ballpark.

Gagne blew his first save of the season in the season opener on a wet mound at Wrigley Field.

Cameron on schedule

Center fielder Mike Cameron, currently serving his 25-game suspension for testing positive for banned stimulants last fall, will return next Tuesday as was hoped since the Brewers signed him during the offseason.

Cameron will begin a five-game stint with Nashville Thursday before rejoining the Brewers at Wrigley Field.