Marcum's return to Brewers still on hold

Milwaukee Brewers manager Ron Roenicke confirmed Friday that right-hander Shaun Marcum's ailing elbow will keep him out of action until after the All-Star break.

Marcum is eligible to come off the 15-day DL on Saturday and hoped to be back in the rotation soon, but he tried to throw again Friday and felt tightness in the elbow.

"A little better, but still felt it," Roenicke said. "I don't think he'll make a start before the All-Star break. I don't think there's any way we can do that.

"But hopefully we get him to where he's confident that he can go out there and throw the ball and not feel anything. That's where we're trying to get to."

Marcum underwent a second MRI on his elbow, and the test again detected no structural damage. The concern stemmed from the fact that Marcum underwent Tommy John reconstructive surgery before the 2009 season.

Marcum experienced soreness in his elbow after his last start, June 14 in Kansas City. He will miss his third start since then on Saturday.

Fortunately for the Brewers, right-hander Marco Estrada has returned from the DL after a month's absence caused by a quadriceps strain, allowing the team to keep righty Mike Fiers, who had filled in for Estrada, to pitch in Marcum's place.

Fiers, who is 2-2 with a 2.70 ERA, will make his seventh start Saturday.