MILWAUKEE -- Barring a bizarre, last-minute setback, right-hander David Riske will be back in the Brewers' bullpen on Thursday afternoon at Miller Park.

The team will have to make a corresponding roster move before the finale of the Interleague Series against the Blue Jays to clear a spot for Riske, who has been on the disabled list since May 15 due to right elbow and shoulder injuries.

He showed no signs of rust in a Minor League appearance Tuesday night, where Riske struck out all three hitters he faced for Triple-A Nashville.

"It felt good," Riske said after arriving at Miller Park on Wednesday. "I felt carryover from my simulated game [on Saturday]. That was huge, being able to do that before going out for a game.

"Everything felt smooth. I didn't feel rusty, so that's a good sign."

The Brewers signed Riske to a three-year free agent contract in December, and he posted a 4.71 ERA in 18 games before hyperextending his right elbow in a game against the Dodgers. That injury healed rather quickly, but Riske also strained the latissimus dorsi muscle behind his right shoulder, which took longer than expected to recover.

Before he was injured, Riske had mostly appeared as a sixth- or seventh-inning option for Brewers manager Ned Yost, though he did notch a save on Opening Day in Chicago.

"He gives you innings, quality innings," Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said. "It's real big to have him back."

Melvin would not hint at who would be sent down, or sent out. Mark DiFelice, Tim Dillard and Julian Tavarez would seem to be the three candidates, and while Tavarez has the poorest numbers of the three, he is also the only one without Minor League options.

"We'll make the call [Thursday]," Melvin said.

If Riske appears in Thursday's game, he would be pitching in relief of a former Blue Jay facing his old club for the first time. Dave Bush was a second-round Draft pick for Toronto in 2002, and pitched there until a December 2005 trade sent him and two others to Milwaukee for first baseman Lyle Overbay.

Bush appeared in 41 Major League games, starting 40 of them, for the Jays in 2004 and 2005.

"I've always liked Dave," Toronto manager John Gibbons said. "When you've been with guys and you haven't seen them in a while, you're always curious. He's a great competitor. He's had his ups and downs a time or two over here, but he's also done a nice job along the way."

Pitching matchup
MIL: RHP Dave Bush (2-7, 5.73 ERA)
In his last start, Bush was tagged for four runs (three earned) over six innings, as he gave up 10 hits, struck out three and walked one. Bush (2-7) gave up an unearned run in the first inning after the first of two errors on the night from second baseman Bill Hall, and then gave up another three runs after the Twins snuck two bunt singles into the right side of the Brewers' infield to start a rally. The Twins collected five hits and sent eight men to the plate in that inning.

TOR: RHP A.J. Burnett (6-6, 4.90 ERA)
Burnett has struggled to keep his pitch count down of late, needing 211 pitches to work through 9 1/3 innings across his past two starts. Over that span, the right-hander has yielded 10 runs on 14 hits with 12 strikeouts and eight walks. On Friday, Burnett picked up a win at home against the Cubs after giving up two runs on four hits in five innings, in which he threw 111 pitches, struck out seven and walked four. In his career against Milwaukee, Burnett is 1-1 with a 4.85 ERA in four outings.

Tidbits
Shortstop J.J. Hardy returned to the lineup on Wednesday after missing five games with a left shoulder injury. ... Left-hander Randy Choate's season debut was much better than the Brewers reported on Tuesday. A club official was given an incorrect pitching line for Choate, who actually threw a scoreless, 14-pitch inning and struck out a batter for Class A Brevard County. Choate was immediately promoted to Triple-A Nashville, but he will have to pitch a series of games before the Brewers even consider him as a big league option. Choate fractured his left hand in a Spring Training drill, ending his bid to win a roster spot. ... The Brewers didn't strand a baserunner in Tuesday's series opener for just the eighth time in the more than 6,500 games in club history, and the first time since June 14, 1998. They are 4-4 when they don't leave a single runner on base. ... Ryan Braun will participate in an online chat Friday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. CT. Fans must be registered with MLB.com to submit questions. ... Spots remain for Brewers Charities' 5K "Sausage Run/Walk" on July 26. Fans can sign up online.

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Up next
• Friday: Brewers (Jeff Suppan, 4-4, 3.68) vs. Orioles (Radhames Liz, 1-0, 4.32), 7:05 p.m. CT
• Saturday: Brewers (Seth McClung, 4-3, 3.94) vs. Orioles (Daniel Cabrera, 5-2, 4.45), 6:05 p.m. CT
• Sunday: Brewers (Manny Parra, 6-2, 4.22) vs. Orioles (Garrett Olson, 5-2, 4.80), 1:05 p.m. CT