MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Brewers are listing left fielder Ryan Braun's availability as day-to-day.

But it appears those days out of the starting lineup will add up to at least Friday.

Braun, who missed six starts last week because of a strain near the rib cage, aggravated the injury on the last pitch of a sixth-inning strikeout Monday night and was out of the starting lineup for Tuesday night's game with the Houston Astros.

While the Brewers downplayed the seriousness of the injury, manager Ned Yost did admit that with a scheduled off day Thursday, he might keep Braun out of the lineup this afternoon and wait until Friday.

"I could do that," he said, "but we'll see where we're at. It is a definite possibility."

The party line from the Brewers and Braun is if this were a September stretch drive, Braun would be in the lineup. As was the case last week, Yost used Gabe Kapler in left and had him hitting third, Braun's usual spot.

"I'd rather have Gabe Kapler at 100 percent than Braunie at 80 percent," Yost said of Kapler, who hit .273 with two home runs and four RBIs last week.

Kapler also excelled on the defensive end, making a diving catch against the Dodgers Saturday night. He did it again Tuesday, ending the first inning with a diving catch of Ty Wigginton's liner.

Braun was scheduled to take batting practice prior to the game but didn't.

That left Yost with a very short bench for the game. Second baseman Rickie Weeks was unavailable for a second straight game because of a sprained left thumb. Yost was left with catcher Mike Rivera, third baseman Bill Hall and outfielder Laynce Nix as regulars on his bench.

CC carries the load

Much of the pregame talk at Miller Park — as well as around the nation on the sports talk airwaves — centered on CC Sabathia's mammoth, 130-pitch complete game Monday night.

Yost didn't back off his decision to send Sabathia out for his league-leading fifth complete game, even though the Brewers had a 9-2 lead heading into the ninth.

"There is something to be said for a guy who can finish what he starts," Yost said.

Yost seemed peeved at the notion he would trot Sabathia out for the ninth just because it appears the big left-hander will head into offseason free agency and not return to the Brewers next season.

"I'd much rather lose a game than take a chance of hurting anybody," Yost said. "I respect him as a player and a person. He has to provide for his family. I'd never take anything away from that."

Sabathia has thrown 73 innings in nine starts for the Brewers since coming over from Cleveland July 7. He has gone over the 100 pitch mark 23 times in 27 starts.

But he is averaging just 15.1 pitches per inning in all of his starts, and just 13.9 with the Brewers.

That 15.1 per inning overall pitch count is 21st best among regular starters in the majors. The 13.9 figure is third best.

"When guys get in trouble is when they have those 20 to 25 pitch innings," Yost said. "He doesn't have those."