BALTIMORE -- The Texas Rangers reinstated outfielder Shin-Soo Choo from the 15-day disabled list Thursday and placed him in the leadoff spot against the Baltimore Orioles.
Choo was placed on the DL on July 20 with lower back inflammation. He missed 13 games since serving as a designated hitter on July 19.
Choo said he was ready to play five days ago, but being on the DL gave him extra time to heal.
"Throwing was the hardest part," he said. "Hitting, I could have handled the bat."
There was no need for him to go on rehabilitation assignment.
"If he had gone any longer, we'd have thought about a rehab (stint)," manager Jeff Banister said. "Watching what we saw during simulated BP, live BP, we felt good where he was timing-wise."
This was Choo's third stint on the disabled list this season. He previously missed time with a right calf strain and a left lateral hamstring strain.
Choo is batting .260 with seven homers and 17 RBI in 33 games.
To make room on the roster, the Rangers optioned reliever Dario Alvarez to Triple-A Round Rock. Alvarez allowed three runs and five hits in 1 2/3 innings since being acquired from Atlanta on July 27.
