CINCINNATI -- The Brewers put outfielder Ryan Braun on the 15-day disabled list with a strained oblique in his right side on Saturday before the second game of their series against the Cincinnati Reds.
Braun had missed the last six games because of the injury. Since he hasn't played, the move was made retroactive to April 27 and he will be eligible to return on May 12.
"I think for a lot of reasons it makes the most sense -- for me, for the team, just looking out from a long-term perspective," Braun said of the Brewers' decision not to rush him. "It made more sense to try to let it get healthy instead of trying to force it and rush back.
"We're headed in the right direction. If we weren't headed in the right direction, we would have made the move immediately. But it's definitely gotten better. The oblique is one of those trick injuries."
Manager Ron Roenicke expects Braun to be fully recovered from the injury when he's eligible to be activated.
"This way hopefully we will be assured that it will be gone when he's back," Roenicke said. "So it makes sense to do it."
Milwaukee activated outfielder Logan Schafer off the disabled list. He'd been sidelined by a strained right hamstring.
Braun went on the disabled list for the first time in his career last season, sidelined from June 14 to July 7 with an injured right thumb. He accepted a 65-game suspension on July 22 for violations of Major League Baseball's drug agreement and labor contract.
Braun is hitting .318 with six homers and 18 RBIs in 22 games.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
