TORONTO (AP) - Third baseman Eric Chavez has returned to the Oakland Athletics' lineup after missing five games with a sore right shoulder.
Oakland manager Bob Geren threw to Chavez in the batting cage before Sunday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays. Chavez also tested his throwing arm before Geren declared him fit to play. Chavez started at third base and batted sixth.Chavez jammed his surgically repaired shoulder diving back to first base on a pickoff attempt on April 10 and last played April 12. He is batting .150 with no homers and one RBI in five games.
Injuries limited Chavez to just 23 games in 2008. A 12-year veteran and six-time Gold Glove winner, Chavez has 229 career home runs and 777 RBIs.
