MESA, Ariz. -- Wade Miley will open the season on the injured list. Given the circumstances, he is just fine with it.

¡°I¡¯m better when I am healthy,¡± Miley said. ¡°It¡¯s been proven. I¡¯ve tried to pitch through things and that doesn¡¯t always go well. So I think [the] most value [I bring] to this team is [when I¡¯m as] healthy as I can be.¡±

Miley is shooting to return in the fourth series of the season, during the Cincinnati series April 8-11. If he does not pitch again this spring, he could be reinstated from the injured list on April 9.

¡°I¡¯d like to make every start I possibly can make, but at the same time [I] have to listen to my body,¡± Miley said.

Miley gave up one hit over two scoreless innings in his Cactus League debut in Milwaukee's 7-4 win over the Cubs on Saturday. He used only 23 pitches, and he lobbied to pitch a third inning, but the Brewers opted for caution.

¡°The Old Mule can pull out some stuff like that,¡± manager Pat Murphy said.

¡°It was fun to get back out there against somebody else, get those butterflies again,¡± said Miley. ¡°Hopefully [I¡¯ll] recover and do it again.¡±

Miley had been on an accelerated program this spring in an attempt to join the rotation from the outset, either for the third game in the season-opening series against the New York Mets or the home opener against Minnesota.

But early shoulder soreness and a groin issue that prevented his scheduled start Thursday made the timeline just out of reach.

¡°The best thing probably for me is that I am going to have to go on the IL,¡± Miley said. ¡°I can get ready before then, but I can¡¯t go back because of the IL thing. So I have to wait. We have plenty of time to get ready. I would have tried to get ready for the home opener, and I think I could, but it is not smart.¡±

• Brewers' injury updates

Oddly, the even-numbered seasons have affected Miley¡¯s recovery in recent years. He pitched 80 2/3 innings in 2018, 14 1/3 in the COVID-shortened 2020 and 37 in 2022. In between, he logged no fewer than 120 1/3 innings.

¡°It seems like the even years get me,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve been throwing more innings in odd years, and it¡¯s harder to bounce back.¡±

Miley will travel with the Brewers, leaving only to make Minor League rehab appearances in order to prepare for his return to the Majors.

¡°We want him there in New York with us for sure for what he means to the clubhouse,¡± Murphy said. ¡°I think he will have a frequent flyer upgrade at some point.¡±

S¨¢nchez expected to be ready
Gary Sánchez had two hits, including his second homer of the spring and three RBIs, against the Cubs on Saturday. His sixth inning homer landed on the berm beyond the center field fence, and he gorked a two-run single between first and second in a five-run seventh.

S¨¢nchez missed some time early in camp because of a right hand injury and has had to play catchup, but Murphy said he believes S¨¢nchez will be ready for Opening Day.

¡°Do I think he is in midseason form? No,¡± Murphy said. "He has a good track record. He has to catch up on catching a little bit, where he hasn¡¯t got to catch all our guys. He doesn¡¯t know our pitching staff yet. He¡¯s a veteran. He understands it.¡±