Encarnacion-Strand (back) has been doing rotational exercises since receiving an epidural for his back issues and will be evaluated after the weekend to determine whether he'll need another epidural, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

So far there's no indication of a timetable for Encarnacion-Strand's return to action. When he returns, it'll be a little tricky to figure out his playing time following Noelvi Marte's strong performance this week. One possibility is Jeimer Candelario losing more playing time -- Candelario is hitting only .118 and was left out of the starting lineup Saturday.

Busch is not in Saturday's lineup against the Phillies.

The Cubs haven't faced many lefties this year, but Busch has yet to make a start against a same-handed pitcher. Justin Turner will start at first base against southpaw Jesus Luzardo.

Wade went 1-for-3 in Friday's 2-0 loss to the Rangers.

Wade recorded a single in the fifth inning after going 0-for-6 in the Giants' previous two games. The 31-year-old has struggled at the plate to begin the 2025 campaign, failing to record a hit in 18 of his 23 games. Wade is slashing .104/.238/.224 with eight RBI, seven runs scored, five extra-base hits and a 12:21 BB:K across 81 plate appearances.

Toglia went 3-for-5 with three RBI in Friday's 8-7 loss to Cincinnati.

Toglia tied things up at 4-4 in the third inning on a two-run, ground-rule double, and he drove in a third run in the fifth on an RBI single. It was Toglia's second multi-hit game of the year and the second time he's logged at least three RBI in a game. He's gone 9-for-34 with two walks, two runs scored, one home run and eight RBI over his last 10 games.

Bauers will start at first base and bat fifth in Thursday's game against the Giants.

Bauers made the Brewers' Opening Day roster after attending spring training on a minor-league deal, but after making 77 starts in 117 games for Milwaukee in 2024, the 29-year-old has had his playing time scaled back considerably in 2025. He'll be making just his sixth start through the Brewers' first 26 games of the season Thursday, as Milwaukee has leaned much more heavily on Rhys Hoskins at first base and Christian Yelich at designated hitter to cut off Bauers' main paths to playing time. Bauers has produced well in his limited opportunities thus far, popping two home runs and stealing a base while posting a .939 OPS through his first 29 plate appearances.

Mervis went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Wednesday's loss to the Reds.

The first baseman gave Miami an early lead when he took Brady Singer deep in the first inning, but it was all the offense the team would manage in a 5-2 loss. Mervis hasn't had a multi-hit performance since April 9, leaving him with a .233 batting average on the season, but his power has been as advertised -- he's belted seven homers in 19 games, giving him a .617 SLG.

Double-A Amarillo reinstated Melendez (ankle) from the 7-day injured list Tuesday.

Melendez missed the tail end of the 2024 season due to ankle tendinitis, but it's unclear if it was the same injury or a different one that caused him to begin the current season on the IL. The 25-year-old first baseman spent all of last season with Amarillo, slashing .240/.313/.440 with 23 home runs and three stolen bases over 448 plate appearances.

Villar went 1-for-3 with two runs scored and a walk during Tuesday's 11-3 loss to the Brewers.

Villar posted his first extra-base hit of the season, cracking a double into right field in the third before coming around to score the Giants' first run. The 28-year-old infielder will likely continue to receive playing time against lefties, as Casey Schmitt (oblique) is expected to miss about a month. Villar has appeared in two big-league games this season, going 2-for-7 with three runs scored and a 1:1 BB:K.

Olson went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Tuesday's loss to the Cardinals.

Olson extended his hit streak to seven games with an opposite-field solo home run in the fifth. It was his third home run during the hit streak, and he now has six RBI over his last three games. Olson's average now sits at .238 this season after he hit .193 with just one home run over his first 16 games.

Lowe went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer in Tuesday's 7-0 win over Baltimore.

Lowe got the Nationals on the board in the first inning with a two-run homer off Dean Kremer, though the former struck out swinging in each of his next three at-bats. It was Lowe's fourth homer of the season and first since April 4 against the Diamondbacks. The 29-year-old first baseman is slashing .293/.370/.500 with one stolen base, seven runs scored and 19 RBI across 92 plate appearances this season.