This story was excerpted from Adam McCalvy’s Brewers Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

MILWAUKEE -- Garrett Mitchell is an optimist. He is also a realist. So the rehabbing Brewers outfielder can promise that “I’ll be smiling, believe me,” when he walks through the clubhouse doors at American Family Field next week for a long-awaited check-in.

He's encouraged by recent developments in his comeback from early-season shoulder surgery, but he also knows that a return to action before the end of this season is no sure thing.

“Little by little, I’m getting there,” Mitchell said. “It’s just nice to be in a situation where there’s conversations about me possibly having a chance to come back and play. Before, it was, ‘There’s not really a chance of you coming back,’ or, ‘We don’t know.’ It’s nice to be close to having that chance.”

Mitchell separated his left, non-throwing shoulder on a dive into third base in Seattle on April 18 and underwent surgery on May 2 to repair the labrum and related structures. A comeback before the end of 2023 was considered unlikely.

Still, he went to work to make it a possibility. The rehab began almost immediately, starting with passive motion exercises at home in Los Angeles before gradually building up at the Brewers’ training facility in Phoenix. When his wife, Haley, traveled with her siblings to Europe in June, Mitchell and their pet dachshund, Dash, remained behind so Garrett could continue his rehab.

Now, the milestones are coming more quickly. Mitchell just completed his third full week of hitting, which is promising, but still represents the early, foundation-building stages of his comeback. He has yet to face any live pitching, which he’d have to do before appearing in any games.

“Mitchell could be trending in the right direction,” Brewers GM Matt Arnold told the team’s flagship radio station, WTMJ-AM, on Thursday. “He could potentially be available in late September. He’s got a long way to go but I know he’s working hard and feeling good.”

Arnold added, “We thought he would be out for the year. He’s overcome a lot.”

Mitchell’s signs of progress include his visit to American Family Field for the homestand that begins Tuesday against the Twins. The Brewers often bring in rehabbing players as they near game action. It’s a chance to check in with the Major League medical staff and to reconnect with teammates and coaches.

“I’m very excited to see some faces I haven’t seen in a long time and just show everyone where I’m at,” Mitchell said. “No one has really seen me do anything besides those who have been with me here [in Phoenix] doing rehab. Other than that, no one has heard much about me except reports, so I’m excited for people to actually see me.”

That feeling of disconnect is a particularly difficult part of rehab, any injured player will tell you.

Mitchell was no different in that regard.

“I think people think rehab is just an easy thing,” he said. “It’s more than just a physical thing. It’s definitely a long road and a long recovery, and it’s 115 degrees out there. There’s a lot that goes into it. People only see the physical part of it, but it’s a physical thing, it’s an emotional thing, it’s a mental thing.

“And really not knowing what the end of the year would hold for me, especially at the beginning -- it was definitely a challenge at the beginning. I mean, it still is, but the fact that there’s light at the end of the tunnel [helps]. Hopefully I can get out there and play some games again, but I do know at the end of the day that it’s about being healthy and being good to go. I’m optimistic for both.”

And yet, he’s also realistic.

“Right now, we’re in this gray area where I’m feeling good, I’m passing all the tests, I haven’t had any issues up to this point,” he said. “A rehab assignment is possible, though we’re really close to the end. It’s still unsure, because we’re still talking about weeks away from when that time comes.

“But as of now, it’s been all good so far. I’ve had no issues. I feel good, I feel healthy. I’m happy to be passing the day-to-day tests and I want to keep my focus on continuing to do that.”