Garrett Mitchell is back with the Brewers. Could he be on the postseason roster?

Garrett Mitchell isn't certain what the future holds.

But he does know one thing.

It's great to be back in Milwaukee, especially with the Brewers on the verge of clinching the National League Central Division title.

"I'm just happy to be back and be healthy again and get through this rehab assignment with no issues," Mitchell said Tuesday before the Brewers' series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals at American Family Field.

"Whatever they ask me, I'll be ready to do."

Mitchell was off to a terrific start for the Brewers when, on April 18 in Seattle, he suffered a left shoulder subluxation while making a head-first slide into third base.

The injury was bad enough to require surgery, and there was real doubt as to whether Mitchell – Milwaukee's starting centerfielder at the time with a .259 average, three home runs (including a walk-off) and six runs batted in – would be able to return at all in 2023.

But after he recovered Mitchell immersed himself in rehabbing his shoulder at the team's Maryvale complex in Arizona and by Sept. 15 he was transferred to Class AAA Nashville to begin playing in games.

Mitchell batted .188 in 32 at-bats over eight games for the Sounds as he worked out the kinks in his shoulder and at the plate at the same time.

"I was sore the first couple days, which is to be expected – especially taking 4 ½ months off and not really playing," he said. "But my body's been responding better; day to day I'm not really as sore as I was. I'd say the first 2-3 days, I was just taking it a little at a time. But the last week has been good.

"Basically, just having a new shoulder, just kind of feeling out the swing again. But it probably took, I would say, a week to get the timing back. I think I've had about 50 at-bats or so and I'm starting to feel like myself again, which is good."

The silver lining for left-handed-batting and right-handed-throwing Mitchell in the entire process was the fact it was his left shoulder that was injured.

"It was probably the best-case scenario in a really bad situation," he concurred. "The strength came back really quickly. But the fact that it wasn't a throwing a shoulder and my lead shoulder when I'm hitting definitely made it easier."

For the final six games of the regular season, Mitchell will continue to work and rehab with the team.

Neither he nor manager Craig Counsell believes it's necessary for Mitchell to see live action.

"Especially going from Arizona to Nashville, I feel like I've faced enough guys with good enough stuff to feel comfortable getting back in the box again," said Mitchell.

There will be plenty of front-office conversations over the next week regarding postseason roster construction.

Will Mitchell have a shot at being one of the 26?

"Look, there's no question his speed is something that any playoff roster benefits from," Counsell said. "No question about it. That's something that's certainly going to go into the equation when we make those decisions.

"I would say at this point, it's not going to be a big role on a playoff roster."

Seeing Mitchell blazing around the bases as a pinch-runner late in a close game or flying around in center field as a defensive replacement would undoubtedly be exciting.

Time will tell if it actually happens.

"I wanted to be a part of this," Mitchell said. "You guys knew how I felt about it at the beginning of the year, the goals and the aspirations that we had as a team. So, I've done everything I can to get back and I'm glad I've done everything I have to this point.

"Excited to be here now."

More: 'I get to work and be myself': Mark Canha's unorthodox approach to hitting has fit just fine with Brewers

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee Brewers' Garrett Mitchell back from shoulder injury