MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Brewers likely will wait until Monday's off day before deciding if pitcher Ben Sheets will return to the starting rotation Tuesday night at Wrigley Field.

Sheets will throw a bullpen session Saturday prior to the game against the Florida Marlins, an exercise which should go a long way in determining just how available Sheets will be against the Chicago Cubs.

It will mark the right-hander's first turn on the mound since he was pulled after five shutout innings April 18 in Cincinnati because of triceps tenderness.

"I think I'll make it," said Sheets, who had a long-toss session prior to the Brewers' regularly scheduled batting practice Friday.

Sheets features a 3-0 record and an 0.96 ERA in four starts over 28 innings this season.

Sheets is the only National League pitcher with a complete-game shutout this season.

While manager Ned Yost remains optimistic Sheets will be able to return, he was not as firmly committed to Sheets facing the Cubs on Friday night as he was earlier in the week.

"We don't want that thing to linger," Yost said prior to the first of three games against the Marlins. "It's getting better. He's making great progress. But I don't see any reason to keep it lingering."

Dave Bush took Sheets' turn in the rotation Wednesday night against Philadelphia and would be the likely candidate to replace Sheets against the Cubs.

Yost said any plans he might have to put Bush in the bullpen are on hold through Sunday after Bush threw six innings and more than 100 pitches against the Phillies.

Both Sheets and Yost say Sheets could pitch right now, but Yost has been especially guarded with his ace, who has had five stays on the disabled list and missed 39 starts over the past three seasons.

The Brewers have not mentioned putting Sheets on the disabled list for this problem but it would be a possibility if he is unable to face the Cubs.

The Brewers could back-date the start of his 15-day DL requirement to last Saturday (April 19), which would make Sheets eligible to return May 4 in Houston.

That would be just one day beyond his scheduled day to pitch.

Putting Sheets on the DL would free the Brewers to call up a position player to strengthen their bench depth.

The Brewers have been carrying 14 pitchers, including Sheets, since last Sunday when it was clear Sheets was going to miss one start.

Yost has been playing games with only three position reserves, really two, because he rarely uses reserve catcher Mike Rivera off the bench.

Cameron's return a blast

One of the first thing Yost does when he gets to Miller Park is read the reports on how the minor league affiliates did the night before.

Friday's report brought a smile to his face.

That's because the highlight was how Mike Cameron, now playing for the Class AAA Nashville Sounds, opened his return to competitive baseball with a home run. Cameron scored two runs and knocked in two in the Sounds' 12-11 loss at Omaha.

Cameron becomes eligible to play for the Brewers Tuesday after serving a 25-game suspension for testing positive last fall for banned stimulants.

Cameron's stint with the Sounds was interrupted Friday night when the game in Omaha was postponed because of inclement weather.