PHOENIX -- Lorenzo Cain is peaking at the right time, and in spite of all the focus on pitching and defense this spring, he thinks that the Brewers’ offense is ready to do the same.

“I think we’re really underrated offensively,” Cain said. “I think this team has a lot of guys that can do a little bit of everything and put the ball in play as much as possible. From top to bottom, I think we lengthened the lineup this year, and I think we’re going to have tough at-bats throughout the lineup. That’s all you can ask for, guys having good at-bats and hopefully putting the ball in play as much as possible and making the defense work.

“For me, I think it’s going to be a really good team. I’m excited to get the season started.”

Cain took two significant steps toward getting the season started on Friday and Saturday, when he logged four plate appearances apiece against the White Sox and Royals, respectively. He’s been making up for lost time after electing not to play in 2020, then sustaining a right quadriceps strain early in camp.

The Brewers expect Cain -- and, for that matter, fellow Gold Glove Award-winning outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr., after a recent bout with a sore right wrist -- to be active on the Opening Day roster. Cain may have sealed that Saturday, when he homered for the first time in more than a year and tallied a walk, two hits and three runs scored.

“I felt my best as far as seeing the ball and really kind of letting my swing go as much as I could,” said Cain, who called it “huge” to stack multiple plate appearances on consecutive days. “I probably got 10-15 at-bats this spring [he was 4-for-15 in Arizona], so not as much as I wanted. I wanted a lot more, but the quad set me back a little bit. I’m just trying to get caught up to speed as quick as possible.”

Brewers manager Craig Counsell said that the club would be “careful” not to over-extend Cain in the early part of the regular season while he continues getting his legs under him. That’s where the Brewers' depth will come into play; they added Bradley at the start of Spring Training to an outfield that already included Cain, Christian Yelich and Avisaíl García. 

“He’s ready to do this,” said Counsell of Cain. “He wants more at-bats, I know that. That’s the thing that I kind of anticipated was going to be the biggest challenge after the quad, just getting the amount of at-bats after missing last season. So we’re going to try to keep stacking at-bats on top.

“I think his legs will be fine. A lot of these guys, especially older players, understand there’s a pace to the spring, a timing of the spring, and Lorenzo [knows] we’re getting close. That means kind of keep turning it up a notch. I think that’s how he’s been doing it. He’s in a good place to add that last gear.”

What does Cain expect as far as early-season playing time?

“Well, you know me, I always plan on being out there every day, but it’s completely up to Counsell,” Cain said. “My mindset is for me to be out there as much as possible, every day if possible. I’m sure Counsell has a plan for everything. He’ll set the lineup how he pleases, and I’ll be ready to go when my number is called.”

Boxberger, Godley join pitching depth
The Brewers have re-signed former All-Star closer Brad Boxberger to a new Minor League contract after releasing him Friday, and the club has also finalized its Minor League deal with former D-backs, Blue Jays and Red Sox right-hander Zack Godley.

Boxberger’s return coincides with an unfortunate injury to Brewers reliever Justin Topa, who underwent an MRI scan of his twice-repaired right elbow after departing a simulated game after only three pitches Saturday. The Brewers were awaiting those results as of Sunday morning.

“The initial plan [for Boxberger] would have been that … he's going to be on the taxi squad for the first trip,” Counsell said, “but we do have to look at the Topa injury and what that changes. We haven't made any decisions on that.”

Godley, who worked 28 2/3 innings with an 8.16 ERA for the Red Sox last season, also pitched in that simulated game Saturday and will join the Brewers’ alternate training site group.

“We’ll stretch him out [to pitch] bulk innings; that could be starter or reliever,” Counsell said. “But he’s obviously got starting history in the big leagues. He’s behind, but he’s in games already, so he’s not that far behind.”

Last call

• With an RBI triple in Sunday's 7-1 win over the Reds, Christian Yelich finished the Arizona portion of Spring Training with a hit in five of his last six games, an RBI in four of his last five games, and a .400 average with a 1.403 OPS.

• In his final tuneup for a scheduled start in Game 2 of the regular season against the Twins on Saturday, Corbin Burnes pitched into the sixth inning and held the Reds to a run on three hits. He didn’t allow a baserunner until Nick Castellanos’ walk in the fourth inning and didn’t allow a hit until Tyler Naquin’s home run leading off the fifth.

“The main focuses coming in [to Spring Training] were the curveball and changeup,” Burnes said. “Early on, we worked more on the changeup and then the second half we started mixing the curveball in. We’re getting some results and some ugly swings and some pretty funky looks on that curveball.”

• The Brewers had a full flight Sunday to Arlington, Texas., where they will play the Rangers on Monday night and Tuesday afternoon to cap the exhibition season. Besides the big league team, the travel party includes players ticketed for the alternate training site group, who will work out in Milwaukee until the site opens in Appleton, Wisc. on April 12.